Destiny's Words
by Melancholy Soundtrack
Summary: 100 words and phrases/ drabble series. Missing Zutara moments recounted randomly. Ch. 45, Mischievous, up now.
1. Blue

**DISCLAIMER: AVATAR DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. ALL RIGHTS GO TO RESPECTIVE OWNERS **

*******Hey guys!! Okay, so I'm starting a new project. I think it will be pretty easy and a whole lot of fun! So, what I'm going to do is pick a word or phrase to use as a prompt. Yeah, yeah I know A LOT of people have done this. But what I want to do is pick a word every day of the year. So in the end this story will have 100, out of order, fluffy, angsty, and sappy ZUTARA stories!! They will be pretty short, probably ranging from 100- 1000+ words. I will probably not go over 5000 but who knows? For those who are wondering, yes I am still continuing **_**Wailing Sparrow**_**, I just got this idea in my head and had to act on it. **

* * *

"_Blue_"

1.) the pure color of a clear sky; the primary color between green and violet in the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 450 and 500 nm.  
2.) something having a blue color

* * *

_The entire world as Zuko knew it seemed to be covered in blue. _

_He looked in front of him. Clenching the guardrails of the ship with such brutal force, he sucked in an inaudible gasp. The sky above him was a pallet of the color, appearing soft and inviting. He could fall into it if he wanted to and still he would be unharmed. _

_His eyes averted from the angelic sky to come to rest on the ocean in front of him. The body of water seemed to stretch endlessly out into the unknown until it reached the horizon. Frothy white bubbles played carelessly on the ocean's surface, riding the waves and disappearing beneath the suffocating water to never appear again. _

_The scene suddenly changed. _

_He was in a field, a verdant pasture dotted with flowers. Blue flowers. The gentle breeze caressed his cheeks lovingly, teasing him. Then, the breeze seemed to pull him in the direction where he could hear waves in the distance. _

_He stopped when he saw her. Her back was to him, but it was unmistakably the water bender. Katara. _

_She turned away from the picture of water before her, with its gentle waves crashing against the sides of the hill they were on. _

_Tendrils of mocha hair fluttered down onto her face and a smile so bright it was blinding suddenly was visible to Zuko. But he wasn't lost in the brightness of her smile, nor the soft, silky texture of her hair. He fell into the depths of those eyes, those beautiful, blue eyes so full of harmony and love. _

_Her small mouth parted and a sigh escaped her lips. "Zuko," she breathed. _

"Zuko!" Someone yelled, seemingly from a distance.

His eyes snapped open and a growl was emitted from his lips. Rising to where he could rest his elbow on his pillow, he turned towards the intruder.

Only to find that his words died right there on his tongue. He saw those eyes again. However, clearly this pair did not exhibit the same emotions his dream Katara did. She didn't look at him with love, no, right now she looked at him with confusion.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she snapped.

He shook his head clear of his thoughts and growled. "I was having a good dream."

She rose to her feet. "Aww, stop whining. There'll be other dreams; besides, we have to start packing up. We're leaving in five minutes."

Zuko nodded and rose to his feet as well, completely unaware of Katara's blush at his not adorning a shirt.

"Get dressed," she muttered and stomped out of the room in a huff.

He sighed and lowered his face into his hands. It was official now… he would forever see the world in Katara's hue of blue.

*******I didn't like this one. Seriously, I didn't. It seemed rushed and was TOTALLY not what I was going for here. But tell me what you think!!!**

**BTW: there will probably come a day when I do not have a word to use, if anybody wants to send me their ideas, that would be great! **

**Oh yeah, I may have mentioned before but I just wanted everybody to know that these stories will not go in any particular order. Zuko and Katara may have a kid in one and then in the next they could be just getting engaged. So yeah, just thought I'd point that out. **

**Kisses, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	2. Red

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS **

"_Red" _

1.) any of various colors resembling the color of blood; the primary color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm.  
something red.

* * *

Red is destruction. Red is evil. Red is _him. _

He was everything wrong with the world. People like him had begun the war; people like him would continue the war, so obviously people like him would not help in ending it.

She hated him. Despised him with every fiber of her being. He couldn't be trusted, no matter what Aang thought. Why was he buying the worthless crap the exiled prince was dishing out? Couldn't he see through his lies; the endless, seemingly genuine words that came from his lips meant nothing in reality. If Aang could just see past the veil of foggy truth the cunning prince had fabricated, then he could understand that Katara was right.

She was the first to fall for his lies and it had turned out almost fatally. She had trusted him with _everything, _and he had thrown it back in her face. _Everything_; that was certainly a lot to give up and she would have lost it all too, had it not been for Iroh.

She wouldn't be the first this time though, she wouldn't even be the last. She wouldn't fall for his false truth at all. Never. No matter what Aang said. When he turned up dead because of the Fire Nation scum prince, she would be thinking _I told you so _through her tears.

She felt another presence at her side and turned quickly to see the prince beside her, resting his hands on the grass beside her. With a glare sent his way, she quickly rose to her feet and, with a small sound of disgust, tried to stalk away with just a bit of dignity.

But he caught her wrist. She whirled around to face him, snarling as she spoke. "Let. Go." She hissed.

His face was a mask of unreadable calm. Like it always was. She wouldn't mistake it this time for nervousness when she knew that it was only another lie.

"This isn't fair." He murmured.

"What? That I don't _trust _your endless cycle of lies like the rest of my friends?" she laughed without humor. "You wanna know what's not fair?"

He stared unblinking at her as she leaned in closer, where they were only centimeters apart.

"I was the first to trust you." He flinched but she didn't notice. "I was the first, and you

betrayed me. Now you want to tell me that I'm the one being unreasonable. _That's_ unfair."

She jerked her hand free of his, trying to ignore the hidden pain that was in his eyes.

She thought of all the things that he was. That _red_ was. _Blood, fire, destruction, searing pain, endless torture…._

She also tried to ignore the consistent, annoying voice in the back of her head that kept repeating the same three words, over and over again. _Red is love, red is love. _

******This one was okay I guess. But I feel it could've been better. **

**Oh well, tell me your thoughts. **

**P.S: Yes, I took some of the lines from **_**Southern Raiders. **_**TOTALLY a Zutara episode if you ask me. **

**Kisses, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	3. Smug

**DISCLAIMER: AVATAR DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. ALL RIGHTS GO TO RESPECTIVE OWNERS**

"_Smug_"

1.) contentedly confident of one's ability, superiority, or correctness; complacent.

2.) trim; spruce; smooth; sleek.

* * *

A dark chuckle could be heard from the shadows of the room. Katara growled at the intruder, still struggling against the bounds that restrained her from attacking him. She hated him, hated him with a passion that she didn't think she was capable of possessing.

"What do you want?" She ground out; still hoarse from the beating she received from the battle. Fire Nation soldiers had appeared seemingly out of thin air, ambushing the group so as to take Aang away and deliver him to their worthless prince.

They had fought. Fought with so much energy she thought that they could actually take the soldiers, even if they were outnumbered. Yet, fate has a funny way of amusing himself.

She had been captured, after being beaten and Agni knows what else, until she was taken to the cell beneath the deck. She had still been unconscious at the time, but when she awoke to find that she had been locked up in chains, water bending stripped from her, she had felt rage and searing hate explode from the very depths of her chest.

Another chuckle. "I do not wish to harm you water bending peasant, only capture the Avatar."

"Newsflash Fire Nation scum." She spat with a hint of sarcasm laced into her voice. "I am not the avatar."

The man finally stepped into the light, wearing a mask of amusement on his face. It was that stupid Fire Nation prince of uselessness and betrayal.

She swore. She had seen the techniques he had used when he fought and however impressed she may have been subconsciously; there was absolutely no way she was going to stand for a boy just a year or two older than her stomping on her pride.

"And here I had heard that the water bender was a harmonious, friendly girl. I am a bit disappointed." His voice was sugary sweet, with an underlying sense of vicious, raw power twined into it as well.

A spasm of fear vibrated inside her, until she promptly squashed it. No _way _was he going to get the last say.

A smile rose to her face, the smile she could use to beckon any boy her way. Mysterious, foreign and slightly dangerous.

The boy's smirk fell right off his face and Katara could feel the first signs of smugness blossom in her chest.

"Why don't you unlock me? That would be _so _much more comfortable." Her voice was seductive, she knew but it didn't seem to faze him. Raising an eyebrow, his smirk reappeared. Though more shaky than last time.

"I do not believe you are fooling either one of us." He stated. A dangerous edge of him was noticeable as he crossed the room, slowly. He was getting closer to her, that strange, evil glint in his golden eyes.

A smirk crossed his face again, this one steady and secretive. He was so close that she could feel his breath at her ear.

"Just tell me where the Avatar is and I'll let you go." He whispered, just as seductively.

It almost worked. He was so close and the position was just so tempting. But Katara's reasonable, sane part of her mind suddenly clicked back on. With a flash, her eyes snapped open and she kneed him.

With a groan he stepped back, ebony hair falling into his enraged eyes.

It was her turn to smirk. "This is gonna take a while Fire bender. And by the time you finally get me to talk, I'll be long gone." She smiled sweetly and he hissed at her.

He retreated from the cell with a dark mood hanging over his head. However, both of them seemed to have experienced the same affects from the others attempts at seduction. Both passed it off as their raging hormones causing havoc. Fate would have laughed at that.

****** I liked the first part of this okay but it seemed to get on my nerves after a while. Tell me what YOU thought of it though. Your opinion totally cancels out my own!!!!**

**R&R!!!!  
~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	4. Realization

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Realization_"

1.) coming to understand something clearly and distinctly

2.) making real or giving the appearance of reality

* * *

They fought, somehow turning the raging battle into a sort of dance. If she moved to the right, he would move with her. Never averting his eyes, never making one wrong move. Watching carefully as she executed her own unique techniques with her ever- faithful water pouch hanging beside her waist. The tendrils of water were spiraling around her arms, the same rage and anger evident in their depths as their commander's.

She was his opposite but also his equal. She balanced him. She could never be just one or the other; however, she would always be labeled with both. That was what killed him most inside.

Those beautiful blue eyes had taught him, in just the course of a few minutes, how to see the world in a new way, and he had thrown her kindness back in her face.

He felt a blinding pain deep within his gut, spanning out until it touched every part of him. No where hurt worse than his chest; his heart ached with the knowledge of what he had done to her.

Her words were still fresh in his mind. _"I thought you had changed!" _she had cried, evident excruciating pain laced into the sentence. That same pain and anger could be felt when he received yet another blow from her. He had inwardly flinched and then spoke what he had known for a while now. _"I _have _changed." _And, in a way, he had.

He may still be the enemy to her, but she was no longer his enemy. Not really. She was his beacon of hope; she had taught him in just a few short minutes that the entire world was enduring the suffering and pain that inhabited his chest. He wasn't alone. She was there, even offering to heal his scar.

He realized several things in that moment she placed her cool hand upon his scar.

He realized that he had never allowed anyone else to touch his disfigurement. It was a mask in a certain way. It hid the pain he felt; it hid his hatred towards his family and towards the world. It hid his intentions. It hid everything from everybody… or so he thought. Everybody but her. She seemed to always be able to read his face when nobody else could. And, for whatever reason, he was allowing this peasant girl he barely knew to relive his past. She was learning more about him than she already knew.

He realized that he was letting her in, past the barriers he had so carefully and painfully sculpted so that he would never hurt again.

Then he realized that he couldn't let her into his life. He couldn't allow that beauty to be tainted with the evils of his existence. She was too pure, too innocent, too vital to the world and to the prince himself. He couldn't let her in. Never.

And as he saw her tears pour over the avatar's unresponsive body, he felt a stab in his chest that hurt even more than receiving his scar. Her accusative eyes turned his way, killing him slowly and agonizingly with their pain.

He had realized something he hadn't within the caverns beneath Ba Sing Se… something too late.

He loved her.

******Surprisingly enough, I really liked this one. I thought I captured what Zuko may have felt in this scene had Zutara eventually happened. *Sigh* but that's why, my fellow Zutarians, we have fanfiction!!! :D **

**So anyway, comment and subscribe!!!**

**Kisses,**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	5. Beautiful

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Beautiful__" _

1.) having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind

* * *

He guessed she was slightly attractive.

He didn't have that much experience with girls, only ever dating one girl. Mai; who was labeled as one of the most beautiful noblewomen in the Fire Nation.

So yeah, Katara may be pretty. So what? It wasn't like she made his heart do crazy things whenever she was around.

It wasn't like that flawless mocha skin drenched in sweat and water after she completed her bending practice made his heart flip and his chest rumble with desire. It wasn't like that at all. He was simply hungry. He hadn't eaten any breakfast yet.

It wasn't like that smile she possessed caused him to need to pull her towards him and devour her lips with his. He simply thought that her teeth were so perfectly aligned that he needed to closer examine them. It wasn't like she directed that smile towards him anyway. She didn't really leave him a choice, now did she?

Those eyes of hers, so lively and dangerous and beautiful didn't earn a hitch in his breathing nor an irregular heartbeat whenever she averted her eyes to him. No he was simply startled that "her majesty" would be so kind as to spare him a glance.

As he stared at her across the flames of the campfire, under the twinkling of the stars, he had to, inwardly, admit that he was wrong. She wasn't just attractive.

She was beautiful.

But that did _not _mean that the momentary lack of his breathing meant anything. No, he was simply surprised that he was finally wrong about something.

*******Awww, Zuko. Sweetie, you need to get a clue. :D So how was this one? I actually really liked it, ya know for a drabble. **

**Leave a review!!!!!**

**Kisses, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	6. Handsome

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Handsome " _

1.) having an attractive, well-proportioned, and imposing appearance suggestive of health and strength; good-looking

* * *

She guessed he was slightly good- looking.

She was in a relationship with Aang, so the Fire Nation prince never really appealed to her. Aang was the boy she was with, and she loved him.

But that irregular heartbeat that sounded in her chest whenever that stupid, arrogant prince was around, _shirtless, _completely showing off his perfectly toned chest was simply the cause of her being impressed at how he stayed so fit.

That hitch in her breathing was cause of the lack of fresh air. That careless idiot had lit a tree on fire, providing the entire camp with the smell of smoke drowning out the breathable air. It was _totally _not because of the way his muscles flexed in his back as he tried to put it out.

And whenever her heart stopped beating as she watched Aang and the prince fire bend, it wasn't because of the perfect, gorgeous smile he gave to the avatar, congratulating him on perfecting a technique. It was simply her realizing that her boyfriend was getting closer to defeating the Fire Lord.

He didn't ignite incomprehensible spirals of yearning within her whenever he sat down for dinner. When those golden orbs were directed towards her that wave of emotion was simply anger at him for wishing she'd forgive him. It was _totally _not that she wished he'd cover her mouth with his as he pulled her close to his body.

And as she sat here contemplating all of this, staring at him through the flames of the campfire, beneath the twinkling of the stars she realized she was wrong.

He wasn't just slightly attractive.

He was _very_ handsome.

But that _so _did not mean that she loved him with the passion of a thousand suns. It was simply because she was angry that she had _finally _been wrong about something for once in her life.

******So yes, this one is in response to my last drabble. It is on the same night, and many of the lines are the same as in my last one. **

**I think I captured this with Zuko better but I want ya'll's opinions. So leave a review. And for more Zutara deliciousness (because we ALL know that we can't live without it) stay tuned for upcoming drabbles. **

**Kisses, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	7. Barrier

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS **

"_Barrier" _

1.) anything built or serving to bar passage, as a railing, fence, or the like

2.) any natural bar or obstacle

3.) anything that restrains or obstructs progress, access, etc

* * *

He was always so withdrawn, so indifferent. He seemed more machine than man. Never expressing any kind of emotion whatsoever, never apologizing, never regretting. No remorse, no love, but plenty of hate.

The only time he expressed any emotion at all was when he expressed that hatred. Declaring that the world was full of hate, what did it matter that he was too?

To tell the truth, Katara was scared. Not because she thought he'd hurt her, never that. But because she was scared _for_ him_. _He was so lonely it seemed, so vulnerable, so fragile. He sculpted a barrier so impenetrable, without one single crack, that she feared the pent up emotion would just suddenly come tumbling out, without warning and crush him, bury him alive.

It scared her to see him like this, so much more dead than alive. He fought, he won. He never questioned, never had to think about what he wanted.

When Katara had asked him what it was that he wanted he had looked at her, deeply staring into her eyes as he spoke, never blinking, never a hitch in his throat. As emotionless as he always had been, he spoke, "_Nothing... except you." _

She had been so surprised, so completely shocked that she hadn't been able to move, to speak. He had taken this as a sort of rejection and slinked away, as if she hadn't cracked the armor he never took off.

The way his eyes had looked, though, had told her more than his voice ever could. They were sad and anxious. Scared. But of what?

Those haunting questions were what led her here tonight, right outside his tent.

With a deep, inaudible breath, she pulled the cloth aside and quietly disappeared into his tent.

It was quiet, only the sound of his steady breathing alerted her to the fact that someone else was in the tent.

Reaching blindly out to find him, she felt a hand on her wrist. She never even noticed the breathing stop.

She sucked in a surprised breath when she felt another's warmth on her arm.

A shadow slowly moved, up to where its outline was in front of her. She could see his warm, familiar, golden eyes and the pale face that they lay within. She saw the look of surprise flash through those eyes when he realized that it was she that came to him in the night.

"Katara?" he whispered, as if her name was a foreign concept he could not even hope to comprehend.

She managed a small smile. "Yea," she whispered.

"What… are you doing in my tent?" he asked voice still thick with sleep.

She took a deep breath. She was going to ask the questions she had come here to ask, it was now or never. "Why did you walk away like that? And what did you mean…" she trailed off when she saw his face.

It wasn't pained or surprised… just blank. Like it always was. Terrified that he would slip back into his mask of indifference, she quickly began to talk to him again.

"No! Don't do that! Don't try to push me away anymore! I hate it; it kills me!" she whispered hoarsely, on the verge of tears. His eyes widened and he managed a small smile, tears of his own in his eyes.

"Never," he whispered as he pulled her closer to him. He rested his cheek on her head as she buried her face between his shoulder blades and sobbed quietly, happily. She felt tears of his own trickle down onto her arms as she looked back up at him and smiled.

And that was when she realized that the barrier was down, completely and totally gone. Only she could have caused it to crumble; only the woman that Zuko had loved was strong enough to save him from himself …and for that, Zuko is thankful.

******Okay, I see Zuko as a pretty withdrawn individual with only a select few who can bring him out of that place of loneliness. Katara is one of those people, at least in my eyes. So tell me what you all think!!!**

**And yea this one was fluffy (yet slightly angsty) Zutara goodness… but I don't know… is it missing something? **

**R&R!!!!  
Kisses, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	8. Loving

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Loving" _

1.) a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person

2.) a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection

* * *

The pain was excruciating. Spasms of white- hot, prickling burning shot up and down his entire body, scorching anything in its path.

The lighting had just barely escaped piercing his heart. It managed to miss, but just by a fraction below its intended target. However, Zuko did not feel lucky. Not at all. He felt that he would rather die than to endure this endless pain that his sister had cursed him with. She always cursed him with pain, just like father.

He could hear footsteps drawing near but he could not move his body so as to see who the impending person may be. It was either Azula or Katara. Agni, please let it be Katara.

"Zuko!" Katara managed to exclaim despite her panting. It was obvious that she was extremely worried, just her voice served as enough proof of that.

She quickly lowered herself to the ground and pulled the water from her bending pouch.

The water formed a shimmering glove over her tender hands. And she hastily pulled the tattered and burned fabric aside to reveal the bloody, shocking wound in his chest.

Sucking in a deep, shaky breath, she set to work on reversing as much as she could of the wound. Zuko distantly noticed that even covered in sweat and blood, drenched in the smell of fear, she was gorgeous. Absolutely and completely beautiful. And it further proved that she was an angel come to earth as glistening drops of water clung to her hair. It was like a mystic glow outlined her form, even in this time of darkness there was the rare, symbol of hope. Which was her, in his case.

Zuko felt horrific pain then, as she attempted to reattach the tissue and muscle that had been torn apart because of the entry of the lightning bolt. It hurt worse than dealing with the initial pain, but he bit his lip, pulling blood from there as well. He wasn't going to make Katara feel any worse.

But he couldn't stop the gasp that he emitted once he felt the twinge of pain, despite her gentle touch.

Katara looked at him worriedly. Eyes already dripping with tears, they shined in apology. "I'm so sorry Zuko. The pain will subside in a moment."

And she was right. After a few more seconds, he felt relief. Only a tiny dwindle of pain remained, and she told him that that too eventually would fade.

"Thank you Katara," he whispered hoarsely.

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." She murmured back, pure, beautiful tears of relief streaking through the dirt on her face.

He needed to do something, and he needed to do it now. Zuko realized the moment that he jumped in front of that lightning bolt that he had never told Katara of his true feelings.

He tried to sit up, but Katara quickly stopped him. "It will only make the pain worse," she had scolded.

Rolling his eyes at her maternal attitude, he had pulled her closer, much to her surprise.

"Fine then," he whispered.

And then he touched her lips with his. The kiss was brief and had been overdue for far too long, but the emotion, the tender gentleness and the simultaneous burning passion had made it worth the wait.

They didn't think about obligation, or of their friends, or of Mai or Aang. They thought only of each other, only of the way they loved the other more than anything else in the world.

The world was at peace for the first time in a century. Why ruin that first, perfect moment of complete and utter happiness with the one you loved?

*******I think this is probably my second favorite so far. My first being **_**Realization. **_**I have always loved this scene! Always! And I just HAD to do my own take on it. **

**So R&R!!!!!**

**Kisses,**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	9. Manipulative

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Manipulative"_

1.) To tamper with or falsify for personal gain

2.) To influence or manage shrewdly or deviously

* * *

Iroh spared a glance at his nephew over his cup of steaming tea. Zuko stared at the cup, as if lost in thought. As his index finger traced the rim, and his golden eyes stared far off into space, Iroh could imagine what the young teenage boy was thinking of.

Stifling a chuckle Iroh patted his nephew's shoulder, pulling him back into reality.

"Honestly nephew!" Iroh said heartily, unable to contain his amusement any longer.

"What Uncle?" the boy asked confused, as if he thought he were concealing anything. Iroh could see the way he longingly stared at the water tribe girl from across the camp fire as she enjoyed the meal she had concocted. He noticed the way Zuko would glance up every now and then when she was close by, only looking down when a light, faint blush flooded into his cheeks. Iroh had found this as a way of amusing himself. _Why,_ he wondered, _was it so difficult to tell a person how you felt? _

Iroh, never being a particularly shy individual had found this concept foreign. Zuko's infatuation with the water bender was understandable, and, must he say it, predictable; fate must have had a reason for this. And what kind of uncle would he be if he idly sat by and watched as his nephew got his heart broken? No, he wasn't that kind of uncaring person. Maybe… Zuko just needed a little push in the right direction.

The old man motioned towards his nephew's tea cup, to which Zuko scowled at. "Uncle, this does not smell in the least bit like anything you would create. What is in this tea cup?"

"Tea, my dear boy." The old man said matter- of-factly.

Zuko narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his Uncle. It was silent for a while. Birds chirped in the distance, and Sokka's off- key humming could be heard as he stumbled up the walkway into camp.

Finally, with a sigh, Iroh spoke once more. His palms outstretched in a motion of surrender, he spoke. "You are found me out," he said dramatically. "I was only attempting to help my exhausted nephew. You see Zuko, you have trained endlessly this week. I do not believe that a young boy should continuously do that sort of thing to himself. It is unhealthy."

Zuko raised an eyebrow, until finally sighing in defeat. "Thank you for being considerate Uncle. Come to think of it, I am tired. It will be nice to get some rest."

Iroh smiled. "Very well Zuko."

The rim touched his lips and he sipped at it, hesitantly at first. Then his eyes alight with surprise at the tasty flavor, gulped the entire cup down immediately.

Iroh nodded his approval. "Now, why don't you go find the young Katara, Zuko? She was looking for you this morning."

"Y- you know," Zuko sputtered almost incoherently. "that's a veeeeery good idea, Uncle! I- I think I will."

Iroh grinned from ear to ear as he observed Zuko walk over to Katara.

He tapped her on the shoulder, to which she turned around, almost confusedly when she saw that it was Zuko.

Sokka, passing by with a handful of fire wood, had stopped to watch the quarrel that was bound to happen whenever those two were within hearing distance of each other.

Katara's eyes had widened at something Zuko had said, mouth hanging agape at his words.

Sokka had dropped his fire wood, mouth hanging open, and eyes bugging out of his head until realization dawned on him. Picking up a piece of wood, the young man raised it above his head, almost crazily.

"NO!!!! THIS IS MY BABY SISTER YOU CREEP!!!" he shouted, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Zuko had come out of his drunken state almost immediately and quickly started running away from the crazed maniac after Sokka hit him over the head with the piece of lumber.

Iroh chuckled at the faint blush adorning Katara's face which immediately turned to a flush of anger as she chased after them. "SOKKA!!! DON'T HURT HIM!!! THIS IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY!"

Toph, the young blind earth bender sat at his side, chuckling herself.

"What did my nephew say to her?"

"Oh… nothing." Toph said. Iroh really didn't have to guess, for he already knew his nephew had confessed his feelings to the water bender.

And Katara hadn't attacked him. The old man took that as a good sign.

But there was another problem that had been nagging at him for some time. He took it as his own responsibility to play the role of the group's matchmaker. Who else would steer them towards their rightful soul- mates?

Filling a tea cup to the brim, he handed it to Toph, who was busily looking out the window at the avatar.

"I do believe you are looking quite tired Toph. Perhaps a soothing cup of tea would calm your nerves."

She had been silent. And the next thing Iroh knew, the cup was broken at her feet, releasing its content all over the ground.

A grin spread across her face. "Not this time old man."

For being the matchmaker, he certainly didn't receive the respect and credit he deserved.

*******So yea, we all have to love Iroh don't we? ;) **

**So how was this drabble? I love hearing from you guys!**

**R&R!!!!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	10. Yin and Yang

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Yin and Yang" _

(in Chinese philosophy and religion) two principles, one negative, dark, and feminine (yin), and one positive, bright, and masculine (yang), whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things.

* * *

"Which one is that again?" Zuko asked Katara, turning his penetrating golden gaze on her.

Carefully keeping her eyes away from his she asked, "Which one?"

He took her hand, using it to point her in the direction of the constellation he was talking about. Squinting his eye, he found it and poised her finger directly on it.

"That one." He said simply.

Katara looked at the constellation only a moment before she picked the correct name out of her head. "It's Tui and La. The moon and ocean spirits." She whispered as she looked at him across the blades of overgrown grass.

He stared up at the constellation for a moment longer, as if he was reliving the past. Katara was doing the same as she stared within his face.

Finally he turned to her, so abruptly that it startled her. His face was only an inch away…

"Katara…" he whispered. She felt her eyes close groggily.

"Yes…?" she breathed.

He was silent for a few excruciating moments until he finally sighed and rose to his feet. Holding a hand out to her, he spoke without looking at her. "We should get back to camp before everyone notices we're gone."

Trying to squash her disappointment, she took his hand, wondering if it was a coincidence that he pointed out the constellation resembling the symbol of yin and yang.

******Yea I know the title isn't **_**one **_**word, but I couldn't resist using yin and yang in this somewhere. This chapter was originally titled **_**Stars **_**but that didn't fit as well as **_**Yin and Yang **_**did. **

**R&R!!!!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	11. Fantasy

**DISCLAIMER; I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL CREDIT GOES TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Fantasy_"

1.) a mental image, esp. when unreal or fantastic

* * *

Zuko remembered the stories his mother used to tell him. About castles and princesses and heroes.

He remembered listening to her words, the way she described the entire scene right down to the frilly lace adorning the sides of the princess's handkerchief. She could make him lose himself in those stories of wonder and promise.

One of the reasons Zuko had always enjoyed listening to fairy tales was because the reader always knew the hero would get his happily ever after. He would get to marry the princess he saved from the dangerous monster he had to face; he would receive all of the glory of defeating said monster, and he would inherit a prosperous kingdom. All of this transpiring in about fifteen minutes.

Zuko wasn't naïve. He understood that none of that fairy tale stuff would happen to him… but he _could_ imagine.

He could imagine that Katara was his princess. He could imagine that she wasn't Aang's and that they weren't together. He could imagine that the kisses the avatar and she stole at midnight before they parted ways were only a figment of his imagination.

He could pretend that it was he who Katara gazed at so lovingly, so tenderly. He could pretend that he was the one who kissed her, the one who evoked her moaning his name.

He could pretend… but he would find, every morning, that it was all a part of fantasy, that it was all pretend. The kisses he shared with her in his dreams would vanish in a cloud of dust right before his eyes. Katara would once again have that loving look in her eyes as she stared at Aang. And Zuko would be left to wonder why he tormented himself like that every night.

The truth was rather simple really.

He just couldn't bear to let her go.

******Ehhh… yea. So tell me what you think!!!!**

**R&R!!!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	12. Paint

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Paint" _

1.) a substance composed of solid coloring matter suspended in a liquid medium and applied as a protective or decorative coating to various surfaces, or to canvas or other materials in producing a work of art.

* * *

"Zuko, _hurry_ up! This is taking wayyy too long."

Zuko growled. "Do you want this to look good or not?" he muttered, still painfully working on the portrait he was attempting to create of his girlfriend.

After another approximately thirty seconds, she spoke again, shattering the soothing calm that had been hanging over them for the short period of time.

"Zuko?"

He closed his eyes to fight off his agitation. "What is it Katara?" he muttered.

She huffed and turned her head away, turning her nose up at him. "Well _fine _then. If you want to get all huffy about me _trying _to have a _reasonable, adult- like _conversation with you… _fine_."

Zuko stared at her, bewildered. "You have _got _to be kidding me!"

Katara turned and stared at him. "What?" she asked, but he didn't seem to hear her.

"I put all this time into _trying_ to do something nice for you on our anniversary and here you are whining about it."

"What? Zuko you remembered—"

"You can be so unreasonable at times!" he carried on. He didn't even seem to be looking at her anymore.

Katara smiled and shook her head. She rose from her spot on the rock she was sitting on, overlooking the river in the distance.

"I don't understand why you think you have the right to be bossy all the time!"

Ignoring him and his feminine complaining, she leaned down and picked up the canvas.

The paint was slightly smudged because Zuko threw it down, but it was still obviously Katara.

She stared at it, her heart leaping. _He had painted her… he had made a portrait of her… _

Tears were in her eyes as she gazed at the painting.

"I don't understand why I don't listen to Sokka. Every time—"

"Zuko!" she yelled to get his attention. He stopped rambling and looked down at her, tears running down her cheeks as she stared at the painting.

He deflated. "You don't like it," he murmured.

"What?" she looked up at him like he was crazy. "I love it! How could you think I wouldn't?"

He looked at her again, golden eyes softening. "Really? You really like it?"

She laughed and threw herself into his arms. "Yes! I love it!"

He chuckled lightly at her embrace and then pulled her lips up to his.

******Zutara fluff!!! YAY!!! :D **

**We all need our dose of this; it's like the PERFECT pain killer. **

**R&R!!!!!!**

**~Moonlit-Silhouette **


	13. Burn

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS **

"_Burn" _

1.) to feel heat or a physiologically similar sensation; feel pain from or as if from a fire

* * *

Katara slaved over the pot of soup, pouring vegetables and the last of the meat the group had left from the market into the concoction.

Muttering every now and then about how she was the only one to ever contribute to the cleaning and cooking part of their journey, she hardly noticed Zuko walk into the kitchen, sit at the table and watch her.

He was amused, to say the least, at how she would spiral around the kitchen like an angry tornado, gathering up various ingredients to contribute to the meal.

Finally he decided to speak; unfortunately it was at the exact moment Katara decided to carefully heave the soup off of the fire.

"Do you need some help with that?"

Startled, her careful hold on the pot slipped. And her palm came to rest of the hot surface, burning her hand.

Hissing in pain, she carefully laid the pot on the counter top and turned her palm over to examine the extent of the damages.

She sighed as she saw the red skin, scorched badly from the hot surface. The throbbing pain she felt within her hand was horribly, uneasy to deal with, but she refused to cry in front of the exiled prince that insisted on testing her temper.

Suddenly he was right there next to her. "Here, let me see it."

"No," she said quickly. "It-it's fine. Just a little pain."

He raised an eyebrow. "I believe we both know you're lying."

Katara glanced at him and, defeated, raised her hand up for him to examine.

Seemingly surprised that she did what he asked so quickly, he didn't take her palm right away.

She raised her eyebrow. "Are you going to look at it or not?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

Quickly he inspected it, igniting a slight hiss of pain from her as he barely brushed her fingers.

He looked at her in a way of saying _I told you so_.

"I have had a bit more experience around burns than you and, in my book; this does not qualify as being "fine"." He said. However, no trace of smugness or arrogance was detectable in his voice. He just sounded matter- of- fact.

"I'll _be _fine once I heal it. Problem solved." But she felt she had to tell him thanks for looking at her hand anyway. Sighing, she spoke, not allowing her pride to stop her. "Thanks though, for helping me."

He smiled and carefully let go of her hand.

As she hurriedly healed her palm and continued to finish cooking the meal, Katara wondered if it was normal that she missed his hand cradling hers.

*******R&R**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	14. Lips

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Lips" _

1.) either of the two fleshy parts or folds forming the margins of the mouth and functioning in speech.

* * *

Sokka's fist hurt a whole lot more than it should have. Who knew he would actually punch somebody for the last piece of meat?

Zuko touched his bleeding lip gently, still annoyed with the glutinous, water- tribe warrior. You don't just go around punching people for the last piece of meat, especially if you've already had like six pieces already!

Zuko sighed and tried to stop the bleeding by sucking on his lip, the metallic, coppery taste the blood left in his mouth didn't exactly make him want to keep trying that tactic.

He could always go ask Katara to heal it for him… but no _way _was he going to risk his pride in such a way. He would rather have a busted lip rather than a wounded pride any day.

He sat defiantly on the log in the middle of the forest, refusing to go back to camp until his lip was fixed. For whatever reason, he had this strange idea that if he sat here in the confinement of the forest long enough, with enough patience, his lip would miraculously stop bleeding, stitch itself up and _poof! _he'd have his lips back to normal again.

However, when noon dawned, he was beginning to understand that no such thing was going to happen today.

"Zuko!" Katara called out from somewhere in the endless intertwining maze of branches within the forest.

He debated whether or not to call out for her. They weren't in camp and nobody would see them if she fixed his lip… but that didn't mean that she wouldn't hang it over his head as bait.

Finally, it turned out that he wouldn't have to call out for her. She emerged from the tree limbs in a bad mood, leaves twined into her hair and tiny scratches on her cheeks and arms.

"You," her voice was annoyed and accusing. "You heard me yelling for you! Why didn't you come out?" her hands were on her hips, eyes burning a hole through his skull with their intensity.

He shrugged. "Geez, Katara. It's just a few scratches. Get over it."

She was silent for a moment until she eventually burst out with uncontrollable laughter.

He stared at her with confusion. "What?"

She wiped an invisible tear from her eye before looking back at him with a grin. "_You're _telling _me _to get over myself when you're back here _moping _about your busted lip. You are _such_ a _hypocrite_."

He scowled at her but she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Tell you what," she said, moving to where she sat in front of him on the log. "I'll fix your busted lip, won't tell anybody about it, and you'll _never _take the last piece of meat from Sokka again. Deal?"

He looked at her, unconvinced. "That's all? Just don't take Sokka's precious meat and my lip gets fixed plus you won't say anything about it?"

She nodded. "I'm tired of hearing Sokka's whining. He's almost as bad as you."

Once again he scowled.

She giggled lightly at his expression and then bended her healing water gloves onto her fingers.

"Okay," she whispered. "Ready?"

He nodded and she touched her cool fingers to the fleshy tissue. It was a quick and painless process, but her fingers lingered on his bottom lip. He couldn't say that he didn't like them there, though.

Staring into the other's eyes, they seemed to lose themselves entirely; completely at the mercy of the other.

Finally she pulled away with a sigh and started to rise to her feet.

He pulled her back down and, at the same exact second her face turned to his in confusion, he quickly touched his, uninjured, lips to hers.

Little did the exiled prince know that the water bender's meat-loving, obsessive brother was lurking nearby and Zuko would soon have to call on Katara once more so she could fix his lip yet again.

******Haha, I love Sokka; he's just absolutely hilarious. **

**R&R!!!!!  
~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	15. Brother

****

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER

"_Brother" _

1.) a male offspring having both parents in common with another offspring; a male sibling.

* * *

Sokka wasn't as stupid as many people believed. He could see though his friends' lies and masks. There were cracks in their facades and Sokka took it upon himself to try and steer them on the right path, one where they wouldn't have the need of wearing those masks.

Like Toph. The blind girl claimed to be unbreakable, unable to be hurt… by anything. Well, if that was the case, _why _did she look at Aang with those unseeing, sad eyes? And Katara with those alight, fiery eyes begging for a challenge? He really didn't want his baby sister fighting with the girl, she could really pack a punch… and he knew this from experience.

And Aang. It was obvious to everyone that something was up with Katara and him. He had heard the young avatar complaining about it at dinner, claiming that he didn't know what the problem could be.

Well Sokka couldn't squash the feeling of smugness that overtook him. He felt like happy dancing around the camp fire while yelling "_HA! I knew something you didn't know!" _

Because it was absolutely obvious that Katara wasn't interested in Aang anymore (if she ever really was in that way). Sokka had seen the way her eyes had followed Zuko around camp. And her useless lying didn't sway his opinion that she harbored hidden feelings for the fire bender. And no matter how much Sokka wanted to _throttle_ the fire bending jerk for being so _"irresistible" _that he was attracting Katara, he couldn't really stand in the way of her happiness.

She was, technically, allowed to make her own decisions, no matter how much Sokka may object.

With a sigh, the water tribe warrior stomped off to his tent. Dirt billowed around his ankles as he kicked at it, lost in thought. That was when he heard the whispering… and _giggling? _right inside _his baby sister's tent?! _

Looking absolutely horrified, he pulled his swords out of the sheaths and, with a warrior's cry, bounded into the tent.

Katara emitted a screech of surprise and annoyance. "SOKKA!! What are you doing?!"

He looked around the tent and only saw Toph staring in his general direction with her hazy eyes, a grin stretching from ear to ear. He looked sheepish and confused when he finally got the nerve up to look back up at his enraged sister.

Her arms were crossed across her chest, lips were pursed, and her eyes looked positively _terrifying. _

"What. Are . You _doing_?" she demanded.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So… there _wasn't _a boy in your tent?"

She raised an eyebrow. "And how did you come to the conclusion that a _boy _was in my tent?"

"Ummm…" he glanced around at Toph for help but she simply shook her head.

"I'm going to quite enjoy the punishment Sugar Queen dishes out for you Snoozles."

He glared at her, but turned around when Katara smacked him in the back of the head.

"Ow! Katara! That was hardly necessary!" he whined.

"You attack my tent because you thought a _boy _was in here robbing me of my innocence when it was simply Toph and me discussing…." She trailed off as a suspicious blush rose to her cheeks.

Sokka narrowed his eyes. "_What _exactly _were _you two discussing Katara?"

She laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Oh… _you _know. Girl things?"

"What _kind _of girl things?"

She glared at him. "Is that _any_ of your business?" he opened his mouth to speak but she beat him to it. "No, I do not believe it is. So, if you don't mind Sokka, we would like to get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

Before he could say anything, Toph had earthbended him out of the tent.

He landed face- first in the mud a few yards away from his sister's tent. Grumbling about disrespectful sisters and painful earthbenders, he rose to his feet and wiped his face as clean as he could.

When he could finally see again, the sight before him shocked the warrior more than it should have. Zuko, exiled fire prince Zuko was eavesdropping outside Katara's tent.

"What are you doing?!" Sokka demanded, eyes bulging.

Zuko jumped, startled and turned around, golden eyes going wide.

"Oh… uhh… nothing, Sokka. Just wanted to ask your sister a question about Aang's training."

Sokka stared him down for a moment then finally nodded. "Okay. Fine with me."

Zuko looked visibly relieved.

Sokka turned on his heel and began to walk back to his tent before he spoke again, not turning around.

"Oh and Zuko. I know good and well that you aren't standing outside my sister's tent so that you can ask her about Aang's training. But," he sighed. "As long as you're not trying to seduce her… then I guess I'm okay with you two."

He didn't turn around, but he could feel Zuko gaping at him. "Oh… uh… o—_kay?" _

Sokka nodded his approval and, exhausted, went to his tent where, hopefully, he could get some shut- eye.

Yep, Sokka wasn't a _complete_ idiot.

Of course, it didn't cross his mind until it was too late that _Katara _was _perfectly_ capable of seducing _Zuko. _

*******I don't really like this one, at all really. **

**But it would help me tremendously if someone would review! Help me improve my stories!  
~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	16. Ashes

****

_DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS._

*******Guys, I have updated so much that my brain hurts. But I am still going to update **_**WS **_**tomorrow more than likely. At least I hope I will. Who knows?**

**Okay, on with the next installment in DW!!!!**

"_Ashes" _

1.) the powdery residue of matter that remains after burning.

* * *

She didn't know him, and, quite frankly, didn't want to. He was too cruel, too withdrawn, too evil. But even as she knew and understood all of these elements about him, she couldn't deny the beauty of his movements, of his attacks. She was in a state of awe as she watched him, watched him execute complex and intricate techniques she could only ever dream of perfecting.

He moved seamlessly, never doubting his intuition, never questioning fate's hand in the game he was playing. He simply moved with his element—the element of fire.

Fire is defined to most people as the beginning of a slow, agonizing death. And she supposed that, in a way that was mainly what fire was - death. However, Katara also understood that, without fire, life would barely begin before it would wither and disappear altogether. The human race could not be sustained without the tendrils of orange and yellow that lived within their fire pits, warming them from the bitter cold and cooking their meals for them.

But, as she watched the boy clad in red, a dismal expression adorning the canvas of his face, she had to consider something that Sokka had once told her.

The boy's golden eyes looked her way, asking questions she could not answer. Offering a future she could not enter. Despite the blossom of silent desire that had sprouted in her heart.

"_Nothing beautiful ever comes of a fire, Katara." _Her eight year old brother had told her when she had been burned by the cooking fire.

She had stubbornly stuck her bottom lip out, her six year old self never registering the fact that life was not simply black and white. There were shades of gray… and even shades of red too. "_Well _something _has to come from a fire, Sokka." _

His penetrating azure gaze settled on her, demanding that she understand that he was completely and utterly serious. His eyes traveled back down to her hand, where he was carefully bandaging her wound with a type of pain relief cream. His voice was so low that she almost didn't hear him, "_Nothing but ashes." _

********I liked this one, surprisingly a whole lot. Don't ask me why. **

**So anyway, R&R!!!!**

**BTW****: NEW chapter (9) for "Wailing Sparrow" out now. **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	17. Ironic

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Ironic" _

1.) coincidental; unexpected

* * *

Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation did _not_ get scared. Never.

No matter the circumstances, there was always another option rather than to feel fear; he would never sink so low as to feel such an emotion. If he wanted to rule his country, rule them with strength and confidence, then he would need to train himself to never feel such a "disgraceful waste of energy", as his father had put it.

Yes, he had been _frightened_ when his father forced him upon that stage to duel with him; he had even felt the first inklings of sheer terror when he saw the blast of orange hurtling towards him. But he had squashed it, caused the fear to shrivel up into a ball and vanish into thin air. He wouldn't disappoint his father.

The blaze still came.

He had been _scared _when he had dueled Azula on the vicinity of the palace he used to call home. He was a stranger there now, fighting his maniacal sister for the title of Fire Lord.

He had felt fear when the lightning bolt erupted from her nimble fingers, aimed at Katara. He had swiftly crushed the beginnings of the emotion, stopping it in its tracks before it could claim him as its hostage.

The blue lighting still claimed a victim. Him. After he had saved the water- tribe girl.

He believed that if he didn't feel fear then all the consequences: the blast of fire aimed towards his face, the electric lightning bolt rippling out of his sister's fingers, would simply be tricks of the light; he would wake up safe in his bed at the palace, all traces and memories of "fear" erased from his mind.

How was it then, that he could so easily feel absolute _terror _as he held Katara in his arms, pushing his lips onto hers as he listened to her sigh his name?

How could he feel terror that claimed him fully, possessing him? He was so scared that she was simply a mirage, a beautiful illusion that would someday dissolve into nothingness. How could someone like _him _be so lucky as to hold such a strong, wonderful human being within the encasement of his arms?

And yet, she still continues to stare at him with those eyes, those eyes full of love and sincerity.

He had felt absolute terror for the first time in his life and yet Katara remained by his side, never hurting him, never scarring him with a single wound.

Ironic, isn't it?

********This one was pretty good, I guess. I'm getting better at these!! (At least, I HOPE I am)! **

**Why don't you drop a review**** and tell me how I'm doing?**

**Thanks!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **

**P.S: I'm FINALLY caught up! YAY!!! That means I'll just have to write one drabble tomorrow! I still think I'm going to update WS though, who knows? Depends on how much time I have. **


	18. Shadows

****

*****k, guysez! On with chapter 18. Whew! Can you people believe that I have updated this thing 18 times already?!

**Anyway, thanks to everybody who has been reading and reviewing this!**

"_Shadows" _

1.) shade or comparative darkness, as in an area

* * *

The streets of Ba Sing Se were deserted; only the sound of the wind shifting the shops' signs to and fro, causing their hinges to creak, could be heard. That and the sound of footsteps, stealthily moving throughout the city.

Light panting could have been heard had anyone been close enough to the woman clad in sheer material, adorning face painted markings in order to hide her true identity.

She had said that she would cease her "duty" as the Painted Lady. She had said it, said the words that told her friends she would no longer journey out on her own, helping people in need while jeopardizing her own life, but her words had been hollow. She couldn't idly sit by, living her life lavishly and luxuriously while the knowledge of people out there who couldn't even afford a loaf of bread haunted her.

Her friends should have understood her need to help people.

Her feet barely touched the ground, alerting nobody who happened to be lurking nearby to the sound of another person in their midst.

"Yes, I know." A man whispered in the distance.

Blue eyes widening, the Painted Lady ducked behind a building immersed in shadows that happened to be close by.

She listened to the two men's conversation as they passed, intrigued.

"The Blue Spirit has made another sighting. And many people are wondering if he has a counterpart; they have seen, for lack of a better word, a ghost lurking through the streets at night."

The other, shorter man snorted. "A ghost?" he inquired skeptically.

The taller, gruffer man apparently nodded, unaware of the man's sarcasm. "Yes, but if you ask my opinion, The Blue Spirit is in for a little competition; this new figure is more than likely a rival rather than an ally."

"I do believe you have been reading far too many stories, my dear friend." The other man replied.

Their voices began to fade as they moved farther and farther out of hearing range. Katara exhaled shakily, and glanced down at the expensive piece of jewelry within her grasp. A young girl in the market had been begging for somebody to help her find her mother's necklace that had been stolen from her.

Katara just couldn't resist helping the girl; the reasons were more personal this time than any other instant before.

Once she confirmed that the long strand of jade pearls was still firmly in her possession, her sapphire eyes quickly snapped back up to survey the vicinity so she could complete her task. However, she almost smacked right into the Blue Spirit.

Emitting a small sound of surprise, Katara's eyes widened at the masked figure.

She knew that most of the mask would appear royal blue had it been daytime, as it was, however, the shadows of the night engulfed the blue, making it appear black.

She could, however, see the white bordering surrounding the eyes, across the forehead and cheeks and around the ears. Two long, curved teeth jutted out father than their companions. The figure was completely clad in black, almost causing the scene to appear more of an illusion from Katara's sleep deprivation rather than reality.

As Katara contemplated all these different things within her mind, the figure had continued to remain motionless, never so much as twitching.

Wondering if perhaps he was simply going to stand and watch her, she tried to slink out of her position between him and the building.

He seized her wrist before she had the chance to take more than two steps.

She glared up at where she knew his eyes would be, trying to convey how annoyed she was in this moment.

He continued to hold her wrist, motionless, until slowly reaching forward to try and brush away the sheer veil that was cascading off of her hat, covering her face.

Gasping, she attempted to pull back; he resisted. It was like trying to move a statue.

Finally she ceased her struggles and looked back up at the character with confusion. "What do you want?" she whispered softly, her voice carrying on the light breeze.

He said nothing at first, simply stared at her.

"Close your eyes," he whispered faintly.

She looked dubious for a moment, but the sincerity of his words had been so palpable… finally, against her better judgment, she did as he had asked.

Closing her eyes slowly, she heard a faint rustle. He never let go of her wrist.

"Don't open them," he instructed.

Katara allowed a small smile to grace her lips. "I won't."

Finally, he brushed the veil away from her face. And although Katara felt exposed and suspicious, she never opened her eyes. That was when a pair of soft- as- silk lips barely touched hers.

It was brief, but so, so beautiful and passionate.

She didn't know who the man was, and she didn't know why he had kissed her, in the middle of a dark alleyway, wrapped in the secrets of the shadows. But she didn't care.

She faintly touched his barren cheek; it felt rough and chapped. A burn maybe?

Before she had time to further lose herself in her thoughts, the lips were gone. Her eyes snapped open, but he had already vanished into the shadows once more.

No sign that he had ever been there in the first place could be found.

Sighing, she glanced down at her palm, still clinging to the strand of pearls.

She smiled thoughtfully and then, with one last survey of the area, just in case he decided to show himself again, she was off, bounding down the street with the stealth of a cat.

From the confinement of the shadows, the Blue Spirit watched her as she disappeared into the night.

A smile found its way to his lips as he touched his finger, knowing that the faint moisture of Katara's lone tear would still be clinging to his skin.

He could compete with her tomorrow night; for now, he was content.

*******Before anyone asks, no it was NOT a mistake that I had Zuko know Katara was the Painted Lady. And as you can see, she knows a little something about the Blue Spirit now, and, if we know our Katara, she won't rest until she discovers whose beneath the mask. **

**BTW: Is it seriously a coincidence that they are BOTH mimicking spirits?! **_**I **_**personally don't think so. **

**Anyway, review!**

**Moonlit- Silhouette**


	19. Cry

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS REPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Cry"_

1.) to utter inarticulate sounds, esp. of lamentation, grief, or suffering, usually with tears.

* * *

Tiny diamonds leaked out of his eyes, soaking his cheeks until deciding to pool upon his uncle's battered body. The old man's chest was decorated with a horrific gash sputtering scarlet; Zuko was beginning to think that Iroh wouldn't… he wouldn't…

Tears continued to fall from his eyes, even after he was so sure he had finally fashioned a proper levy to sustain even the most heart-wrenching thoughts from leading to tears.

Still, the two tiny rivers, that eventually merged into one as they reached Zuko's chin, pushed past that barrier inside him; the restraint that he had so painstakingly constructed as a way to separate himself from the rest of the world. He wanted people to respect him, wanted them to obey him. He could only obtain this if he showed the world his superiority over emotion.

As more tears came, Zuko felt pieces of himself being carried away as well, like rainwater washing away the nutrients of the soil. He was slowly feeling himself become hollow, empty inside.

The six friends watched the exiled prince, the boy that they had come to know as unbreakable was now bent down, hands bloody as he tried, futilely, to revive his uncle. The tears leaking out of his eyes seemed to have washed away the vibrant, golden hue of his normally beautiful irises, replacing them with two sickly, gray orbs. He was broken, and they couldn't conjure up any words to ease just a bit of the pain the death of his uncle had brought.

Suddenly Zuko heard a soft voice, determinedly telling him that she could heal the man that had become a sort of father to him.

Anger and rage pulsed through him. _Lies, _his internal voice spit. And, however unnecessary the action was, Zuko still shot a tendril of fire towards the group.

They all jumped back, startled. "LEAVE!" Zuko's voice boomed.

The water tribe girl looked, for the briefest moment, understanding and sympathetic. But the glint in her eyes was fleeting, causing Zuko to wonder if it had ever been there in the first place.

Zuko also had to wonder, as he nursed his uncle back to his previous health, why she had even bothered to offer her help to him anyway.

*******I rather enjoyed writing this one. The idea just kind of came to me in one of my classes today. :D **

**Anyway, review!**

**Thanks guys!**

**Moonlit- Silhouette **


	20. Heat

**DISCALIMER: I DO OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS**

"_Heat" _

1.) the state of a body perceived as having or generating a relatively high degree of warmth.

* * *

Katara shivered, shoulders shaking. Puffs of white billowed from her mouth and nose, alerting her companion to the fact that she was clinging to the last strand of her warmth.

Despite growing up in the harsh conditions of the southern water tribe, with its snowy landscape and biting air, she was still, nevertheless, cold- natured. And as the bitter cold air streaming in from the mouth of the damp cave, washing over her face as it bit into her bones, she suddenly felt the presence of another layer of cloth being added to her shoulders.

She turned around to see Zuko, shrugged out of his shirt, perfect bare chest turned inwards towards her body.

At first she had to wonder what he was doing. Why was he suddenly so close…?

The moment his warm skin touched her clothing, the heat sinking into her very core in a fraction of a second, Katara no longer had the energy to think. His body was so warm and inviting.

She pushed herself closer to him, turning her face inwards, pressing it against his bare torso so as to unthaw her lips, enabling her with the capability of speech. She didn't notice the shiver ripple through him.

Her teeth suddenly began to cease their constant chattering; eyes drooped closed as she suddenly felt overwhelming exhaustion. She clung to that last bit of consciousness though, wanting to stay awake a little longer.

Pulling the Fire Prince's shirt closer to her frame, she let her head fall onto his chest again, contentment inhabiting her body.

"Zuko…?" she asked sleepily.

"Yes?" she heard his reply, but didn't register the tremor in his voice.

"Aren't you cold?"

Underneath her ear, she felt the rumble in his chest as he held in his laughter. "No, Katara." He murmured. They both knew he was lying.

"Don't lie to me; you are cold. Here, let me—"

He stopped her from moving away from him, his arms twining around her back, rendering her incapable of movement.

"No," he whispered, voice possessing an air of pleading underneath the soft command. "Don't move."

She didn't.

******Haha, gotta love us some of this Zuko/ Katara fluffy goodness. And yes, this chapter is pretty unrealistic. I mean, Katara is from the water tribes, where the bitter cold abounds. But, in my defense, she _has_ been away from the water tribe for some time; surely during that time her body would grow accustomed to the warmer weather. **

**And they aren't anywhere specific that was mentioned in the show (a cave just happened to pop into my mind). Now, you could be asking yourself when this is taking place. Once again, I'm not sure. **

**(Originally the idea of Zuko being cold while Katara comforted him came to mind, but the sexy, shirtless fire bender just seemed more fitting. :P) **

**Anyway, hope ya enjoyed!**

**REVIEW PLEASE! **

**Moonlit- Silhouette **


	21. Too Close for Discomfort

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Too Close for Discomfort" _

***Discomfort**: an absence of comfort or ease; uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.

* * *

Toph smirked, lips turning up in an evil, manipulative way. Folding her arms across her chest, she leaned up against the rock wall she had recently created.

Inside the wall two annoyed, embarrassed bending teenagers happened to be clawing uselessly at the solid rock.

"TOPH!" the female inside the wall screamed at the top of her lungs, while violently pounding on the stone with every ounce of force she had inside her. "GET ME OUT OF HERE! _WHY_ HAVE YOU STUCK ME INSIDE SOLID ROCK WITH _ZUKO, _OF ALL PEOPLE?!"

The boy in question cleared his throat irritably. "You know, water peasant," he sneered. "You are not the only person suffering today. Why would I wish to spend my afternoon stuck in the earth with an annoying, whiny, water bender?"

There was a thump and then a not- so-subtle growl. "_What _was that for?" Zuko hissed.

"For being an obnoxious, jerk- faced ego- maniac who can't stop the enormous amount of insults he hurls at me." She said sweetly.

There was silence. Then… "YOU ARE A LOWLY, WATER BENDING HYPOCRITE!" he yelled. "How _DARE _you try and push the blame all on me when you _clearly _play an equal part in this argument!"

"Ohh, so _now _you're pinning the blame on me?! Well, _I'm _not the one who betrayed the other after she _thought_ he was different!"

"That was a mistake! Why can't you just let it _go?!" _

"_IT WAS A MISTAKE THAT ABOUT GOT BOTH ME AND __AANG, THE _AVATAR_ KILLED. _You insensitive jerk!" Katara huffed angrily.

Toph sighed dramatically. This was going to be harder than she thought.

Flicking her wrist almost casually, she pulled the rocks closer together. Forcing the two stubborn fighters closer together… as in _chest- to- chest _close.

Katara's surprised gasp soon turned into one of horror.

Zuko was utterly silent, until…. "TOPH!!!" they screamed in unison.

Smirking, she pulled herself away from the exterior surface of the rock encasement.

"When you two _finally _decide that you are so much in love with the other that you can't hold it in any longer, I'll be happy to let you free. But this denying- the- obvious thing is soooo not working for me. If you two have _somehow_ forgotten, I can read your heartbeats better than even you can. Sparky, yours is hammering so dang loud that I am honestly scared to know what it is that you are thinking about."

Zuko growled quietly from inside the earth, but his heartbeat was still pounding.

"We are _not _in love with each other!!" they said simultaneously, voices trembling slightly.

She laughed. "See! You know each other so well that you can't even speak without the other knowing exactly what you're going to say!"

"This is _not _funny Toph!" Katara yelled.

"From where I'm standing, yeah it kinda is Sugar Queen."

Once again Toph raised her hands, positioned them in an earth bending technique and suddenly the rocks were inching even closer together. She didn't want to squish the two people inside, but she didn't want to have them too far away from the other either.

Once again, they gasped.

Toph smiled brightly, feeling accomplished as she strolled back to camp.

It didn't take a genius to realize why their pleas of release had suddenly, _miraculously, _ceased.

******* I came to the conclusion that I needed more Toph in my chapters. I also need more Aang. I haven't even had one with Suki yet! Isn't that absolutely unacceptable?! **

**Once again, my title is more than one word. I think I'm going to change that. I'm now going to use **_**phrases**_** as **_**well**_** as words. **

**So anyway, tell me how you liked it! REVIEW! **

**I think I'm much better with angsty fics rather than humorous ones, so this is not Grade A material I believe. **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette**


	22. Coincidence

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Coincidence" _

1.) a striking occurrence of two or more events at one time apparently by mere chance

* * *

A young woman observed the spectacle in silent amusement. She propped herself up against the palace wall surrounding the royal garden, arms crossed over her chest, legs bent in a position of casualness. Lips stretched into a grin, unseeing eyes stared in the general direction of the two enraged boys, one a gentle monk and the other a, to put it lightly, dense warrior.

Had she been able to see the two boys, she would have giggled at the sight of the tinge of red seeping into Sokka's cheeks. She would have noticed Aang's lips were drawn into an accusative frown, eyes staring blankly at the scene before him.

Toph finally sighed, alerting the two _"stealthy" _spies to the presence of another within their midst.

Sokka and Aang spun around wildly, the clink of Sokka's swords being pulled from their holster made Toph want to roll her eyes.

"Sokka, maybe clinking metal around noisily is not the best way to stay inconspicuous." She spoke evenly, slowly, as though she were speaking to a child.

Sokka grumbled inchoherents, and the sound of his swords being replaced into their proper confinement could be heard.

A silence fell over the three people, a silence most would label as awkward. Well awkward for Aang and Sokka…especially the young monk.

The boy's grey eyes darted this way and that, anywhere but in the direction of his friends. He couldn't look at them, not while he was dealing with the internal tidal wave that was currently consuming him.

Katara, _his _Katara, was, at this very moment, kissing Zuko. Katara, of all people, had to fall for the arrogant fire bender.

Aang's thoughts turned bitter, hurling silent accusatives at the fire bender and the water bender. He didn't think he'd be able to live with the knowledge that his Katara was forever lost to him. It was as though the fates were doing nothing but pulling the avatar away from her, and hurling her into the arms of the fire bender at the same time.

Aang was an observant learner, but he'd give anything to be able to have this particular knowledge stripped from him.

He didn't want to constantly be reminded that Katara was never, and would never, be his. She was apparently destined to be with Zuko, the new Fire Lord; why else would she be twined into his arms as though she was especially created for him?

Aang's stomach lurched. _What if_ _she_ _was….?_

The fates had carefully plotted all the hurt and anger and, Agni forbid, love that was embedded into the paths of the two wandering souls. It wasn't just coincidence; just like his place as the avatar wasn't a coincidence. Just like his defeating Fire Lord Ozai wasn't a coincidence.

Aang glanced, one last time at the scene in front of him. Katara….

The beautiful woman was pressed against a shading tree, drooping leaves and vines forming a veil of sorts so as to conceal the two lovers from the three spectators. Her eyes were closed in contentment, fingers threaded into the new Fire Lord's dark hair.

Zuko's hands were around her back, pulling her closer to his body.

A soft moan was released, whether from the lips of Katara or the lips of Zuko, Aang could not be certain; his pain was clouding everything else around him.

Aang watched, heart burning with hurt and pain. Eyes stung with unshed tears, lips trembled.

His hand fisted dangerously, almost shattering the object curled in his fingers.

He had forgotten.

He didn't even glance down as the object he had so carefully and painstakingly created was tossed to the dirt as if it were of no importance.

The pale ribbon fluttered to and fro, as if attempting to soothe Aang's dismal emotions. The pendant made of blue sea glass slightly shattered internally as it made contact with the ground.

Dirt and grass would soon cover the trinket, and nobody would be the wiser.

If the beautiful piece of colored glass, the dominant color a royal blue with spirals of gold and pink implanted into the substance, was seen again, the lucky viewer would notice that when Aang's betrothal necklace made contact with the ground, the broken pieces inside formed the pattern of a flame…

Do you still believe in coincidence, even after hearing this tale?

*******I really, really liked this one. But, it was EXTREMELY hard to write out exactly what I wanted in that last paragraph. I hope it sounded alright. **

**Thanks all! REVIEW!!**

**~Moonlit-Silhouette **


	23. Foreshadowing

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Foreshadowing" _

1.) to show or indicate beforehand; prefigure

* * *

Katara's eyes widened and she pulled back, looking wild.

"I just said I was confused!" she told Aang, looking at him with hurt and bewildered eyes.

He glanced back, looking just as surprised as Katara felt. She turned on her heel quickly, darting back into the theatre before Aang could open his mouth to apologize. She didn't want to hear his apologies tonight.

She didn't want to hurt Aang. That was the absolute last thing she wanted. But, she also wanted him to respect her and stop _doing_ this to her. He was twisting her emotions up, making her believe that all the time and energy she put into separating her feelings from reality had been for absolutely nothing.

Once she figured she had run far enough away from the truth, she sank to the ground. She didn't cry, didn't even shed one tear.

Gently she touched her lips. There wasn't any spark of passion, nothing to distinguish love from tender affection. She didn't know what to make of that.

She thought over the scene with her and Zuko and, somehow, she found herself wondering if _maybe_ the playwright had been on to something….

******Yea, quick and simple. I wanted to incorporate something as a sort of foreshadowing for what's to come for Katara. _We_ all know that she is destined to be with Zuko, but, for whatever reason, she doesn't yet know that. **

**Anyway, thanks a bunch to anyone out there reading this! **

**I love ya'll! ****REVIEW PLEASE!**

**  
****~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	24. Questions

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Questions_" 

1.) characterized by or indicating intellectual curiosity

* * *

It was nothing more than an icy wasteland, the South Pole. Barren, glacial, yet strangely beautiful in a sense. Though the prince would never admit such a thing aloud.

As if he were disgusted with the sight, Zuko turned away from the scene all the while scowling. Crossing his heavily covered arms over his chest, he stared straight ahead, as if he were imagining the perfect victory he and his men were about to obtain. Zuko couldn't say that he _wasn't_ thinking of the avatar's capture, but, for once, that little tidbit wasn't the most prominent thought weighing on his mind at this moment. He successfully transferred it to the back of his mind, momentarily remembering other things...

He was attempting to imagine his mother's words, her thoughts as to whether he was in the right or wrong. Would she be proud of him, if she were standing on this deck right now, clad in beautiful sleek robes fabricated from the finest silks and the richest colors, the smell of lavender and fire wood clinging to her skin; would she smile at him, tell him she was proud of him?

Zuko felt the truth stab him in the heart as if he had just received his scar, all over again. This pain was worse. _No… _his mind whispered. _How could such a humble, kind woman even feel the first inklings of pride for her son, who was, at this very moment, preparing to massacre a village of innocents if need be. If they didn't hand over the avatar. _

Zuko felt faint pressure on his shoulder. Emerging from the vice-like grip the depths of his thoughts had caught him in, he turned to his uncle. The old man, graying beard, somber eyes, wrinkled face, didn't turn to his nephew, simply stared ahead, at the future. Zuko wondered if sometimes his uncle _could _see the future.

No words passed between the two men as they watched the tiny blotch of white gradually transform into a whole new world, a world where Zuko wasn't welcome, even if he wanted to be.

Preparing to alert his men to proceed with caution, Zuko turned from the railing overlooking the royal blue tides below. Stretching his stiff muscles quickly, he turned on his heel.

However, despite Iroh's age and impressions of stupidity at times, the old man reached out and caught the banished Fire Prince's arm. Zuko turned to him, a question in his eyes.

Iroh had an answer in his wise ones, though it was not the answer to the question Zuko had asked, along with caution, pleading. Zuko's heart contracted painfully and he fought the urge to suck in a gasp. Pursing his lips, narrowing his eyes, and clenching his fists would have to do for releasing that pain for now.

As if not acknowledging the pleading in his uncle's eyes, Zuko turned from the old man and began to ascend to the captain's deck.

Iroh stared after his nephew, crestfallen. His chest ached with the knowledge of what he was helping to bring about: further downfall of the great and mighty Southern Water Tribe. The knowledge pained Iroh more than Zuko knew it.

The old man turned back to the small blotch of white, slowly transforming into a home. A welcome, humble place of family and love. A place that Zuko no longer had. His safe house had somehow become a vulture's nest.

The people of the water tribe had suddenly dispersed, gathering weapons in preparation for a fight, no doubt. They wouldn't have a chance.

Fighting the urge to yell at his nephew, Iroh calmly returned to the captain's deck, listening to the intense and, at times, violent strategies Zuko was telling to his men. The boy had thought out every detail carefully and precisely.

Iroh wasn't _truly _listening to Zuko's words though; he was noticing how the boy's eyes seemed to have lost that brightness that had so long been planted there. The brightness and luster that only Ursa's presence could bring about; that happiness had withered when Ursa had disappeared. Iroh wondered if that little boy, with dimples and a bright smile, would somehow ever wake up again.

*********So definitely NOT Zutara goodiness, but I needed something that dove more into Iroh's feelings and Zuko's earlier feelings. I wanted to better understand their characters. **

**TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN EXPECTING ME TO UPDATE: I am SOOOOO sorry! School has been in full swing here lately and it had been almost impossible to find the time and energy to think of a theme and write it out. **

**So I hope I'm forgiven. (please…?) **

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	25. First Impressions

**DISCLAIMER: I NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS RAE RESERVED FOR ITS REPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_First Impressions" _

1.) first consideration or judgment

* * *

Katara's hand tightened around her grandmother, as if she could protect her from the evil that was standing before them. The pressure being exerted upon the old woman's shoulder was so intense that it was a wonder she didn't squirm or scold her granddaughter for her thoughtlessness.

But, Kanna knew the dangers of a fire bender. She understood her granddaughter's fear, her worry. The young girl had already lost her mother. She didn't want her to experience yet another loss.

Reflexively, Kanna placed a comforting hand over Katara's. The girl's blue eyes never left the boy in front of them, armor of the Fire Nation adorning his body, but her eyes suddenly appeared a bit glassy. Tears.

Katara squeezed Kanna's calloused fingers, as if reassuring herself that the old woman was still beside her.

Yet, despite how hard she tried to hang on to Kanna, despite her consistent pleas to the Spirits above, begging them to allow the Southern Water Tribe peace, Kanna was snatched away from her. The Fire Nation boy held the old woman with an iron grip, face devoid of any kind of emotion. It was as though he was nothing more than a hollow encasing of a person, no heart, no soul. It was clear that he was not allowing release until he received the information that he wanted.

_"Monster!" _her inner self screamed in desperation, frustrated mental tears brewing into anger. Her teeth bit into her lower lip, and she tasted the coppery, metallic taste of fresh blood in her mouth.

The boy simply stared at her unknowingly as she experienced her mental anguish, the pain almost unbearable. Her azure eyes were trained on her grandmother, who was looking back at her, wise eyes telling her to calm her emotions.

She remembered her grandmother's voice, wise and strong. Confident, as she taught Katara life's lessons. _"Rage is not the answer to anything _shoujo. _Rage locks you in a pit of darkness and the only way to obtain happiness is through logical reasoning. Rationality is achieved through patience. This will be your beacon. The beacon you are to follow faithfully throughout your life." _

The old woman's eyes were studying Katara; she sensed that the two of them were both trapped in the same memory. Now, looking into Kanna's eyes, Katara realized that her grandmother was right. The young waterbender calmed her racing heart, and took an inaudible breath. _"Patience is my beacon, patience is my beacon." _She repeated inwardly to herself. Yet, no matter how many times she thought it, no matter how many times she believed that she had her temper under control, his eyes, those calculating, cunning eyes of the Fire Nation riled her up again.

She clenched her hands. And another tiny river of scarlet trickled down her palm until it came to rest in the snow, soiling the perfection of the pure substance with its crimson hue.

Zuko looked on, feeling slight amusement and annoyance at the sight that was before him. He kept his face a blank canvas though; this lowly, unimportant girl would not see him lose control. He was stronger than that. That was one important thing his father had taught him: never show emotion; emotion is your weakness.

Now, mentally, he laughed at the Water Tribe girl. Her fingers curled into fists, blood droplets falling, staining the pure white snow beneath her. She didn't notice. Eyes were trained on the old woman, hair as white as the snow itself that stood rigidly within his grasp.

_"Weakling,"_ he sneered. She didn't know pain, didn't know absolute anguish. He did.

Before he had the chance to allow frustrated tears or a rage induced frenzy of flames to burst from his core, he turned away from her eyes, as if uninterested. In that moment, the two benders, nothing more than mere children swallowed in a tainted world, sharing a hatred for the other, could never have guessed what the Fates had in store for them in the future.

********I really wanted to get a feel for what our favorite couple felt the first time they saw each other. I think I captured what Katara might have felt but Zuko, as we all know, is a tough cookie to understand. He always bottles up his emotions, rarely ever allowing anyone entrance. I do believe that this would have been what he might have thought though. **

Shoujo- _**means "daughter". **_

**REVIEW PLEASE!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	26. Firecrackers

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Firecrackers" _

1.) Tightly wrapped gunpowder that explodes when they are lit

* * *

Katara was spiraling around the kitchen area, preparing the night's meal, never remaining in the same place for too long a time. Eyes were intent on her task, never so much as glancing up when Zuko decided to take time out of fire bending practice to help her.

He raised an eyebrow as a smirk found its way to his face. She could be so amusing when she wasn't screeching obscenities at him while hurtling a tidal wave of water over his head.

He saw her pause for a moment and poke a small sphere into her mouth. Then she off again, ladling soup into her mouth quickly, and, with an expression of disgust, found another ingredient to add to the concoction.

Once again she paused to pop another red sphere into her mouth. Once again he raised his eyebrow and cleared his throat, just to alert her to his presence.

She visibly jumped and he visibly smirked. She whirled on him, eyes wide. She quickly straightened out of her bending stance, and turned away from him, finishing her task.

"Can'ttalkrightnowZuko." She said in a rush. Her words seemed to slur, merging into incomprehensible mush.

"Huh?"

She glared at him from over her shoulder. "I _said _I can't talk right now!" she snapped, once more in a rush. He could make out what she was saying though.

She popped yet another one of the spheres into her mouth and turned back to her work.

"What are those?" he asked.

"What are whats?"

He pointed to the bag of red spheres, though he knew she didn't see him.

She seemed to know what he was talking about though. "Oh, just this candy I bought at the marketplace." She said. "This Fire Nation guy was selling some and I thought '_Why not?!'." _She giggled and Zuko seemed to go into a state of awe. Was the world coming to an end? Katara actually giggled… like _Ty Lee, _for Agni's Sake! "He did say that if I ate too many, though, that a sugar rush was bound to happen. Good thing that hasn't happened yet, right?" Another giggle escaped her throat.

He decided to play along; he'd much rather have her laughing than screaming at him. "Can I have one?" he asked, already reaching for the bag. She slapped his hand with a spoon and he looked up to see her hands on her hips, glaring at him. "NO," she said firmly and a bit cruelly.

He rubbed his hand, the skin already reddening. "Geez Katara. You didn't have to hit me! Besides there are none left! You ate them all."

She rolled her eyes. "Men are such babies." She grumbled.

Zuko glared at her. "Well eating a full bag of candy qualifies as being a pig."

Her eyes hardened, turning to steel. And Zuko realized that that was not something you said to a girl.

"WHAT?!" she screeched. He flinched and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm… sorry?"

She hit him with her spoon again. Still it was better than the water bending.

When she cooled down, he noticed that she still had a red candy in her mouth. He smiled devilishly when a thought suddenly formed in his mind.

He pulled her close, ignoring her protests, and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her stiffen, and then he felt her relax and wind her arms around his neck.

His tongue slid across her bottom lip, asking for entry. She complied.

And that was when he stole the candy sphere from her.

He pulled back, smirking. She seemed dazed.

"What were the candies called?" Zuko asked, suddenly remembering the familiar taste from somewhere.

"Firecrackers." She said simply, returning to her work, a red blush painting her cheeks.

In the distance they could hear Toph laughing.

******This idea suddenly came to me. Hope it was okay. **

**REVIEW PLEASE!  
~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	27. Agonizing Understanding

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER: ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED****FOR IT'S RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Agonizing Understanding"_

1.) Agonize: to suffer extreme pain or anguish

2.) Understanding: a mutual agreement

**P.S: I am sooooooooooooo sorry about the late update! I thought I'd be able to catch up this weekend, but, as it was, my files didn't want to publish. So once again, I am very sorry! **

* * *

Zuko remembered the night he had first begun to understand her. The first time she had truly opened her heart up to him again, allowing him to see past the surface, the surface covered with cracks and lies.

Katara wasn't a child, she wasn't the fourteen year old girl traveling with the avatar whom he had pursued limitless times before in the previous years. She had grown, transforming into a magnificent beauty. The beauty of a princess and the fiery attitude of the Fire Nation, though he would never say such a thing to her; it would only insult her and ruin the progress he had made thus far with her.

He pulled himself free of his thoughts for a moment, to simply admire her from afar, like he had been doing every night since two months ago. After he had escorted her to vanquish her mother's killer, and she had resisted, they're new found truce had rocked shakily, barely managing to remain on solid ground. She was still leery of him, afraid he would hurt her again. As if he didn't see the hesitant and worried looks of vulnerability in her eyes whenever she thought he wasn't looking. The distrustful glint in her eyes was enough to physically pain him.

He was bound and determined to gain her full trust, if it was the last thing he did. He couldn't bear it if she were to remain in this state of doubtfulness and hesitance around him for the rest of their time together. The thought alone pained him.

Summoning up all the courage he could muster, he took a step toward her, to her form resting on the pier overlooking a river.

She had sat in the same spot almost two months ago, after they returned from their journey. He remembered her, bathed in the mustard yellows and bright oranges of sunset, feet dangling over the wooden perch, splashing the water to and fro, brow furrowed, lips drawn; thus, an image of recollection, of remembrance. Clearly she was remembering her mother's death, her mother's killer. Facing him must have broken yet another piece of her.

He had felt drawn to her that night on Appa's saddle. For reasons he was unsure of, that night was one of the brightest in his memories, despite the circumstances that the two of them were in at the time. Even with her adorning the marks of sleeplessness beneath her eyes, anger and fury and lustful revenge swimming in those once innocent and loving blue orbs, she was alluring. Hair drawn back messily, lips taut, hands gripping the saddle violently, Zuko had truly seen Katara. Truly seen the girl for what she was beneath her perfectly placed disguise. She tried for years on end to hide her true feelings on the matter of her mother's death, and the war she was brought into only ignited those memories and feelings she had tried so desperately to forget. _He_ had only furthered that blaze of havoc, oblivious to the state his actions were placing her in. If he could, he would take it all back, rewind time and join the avatar in the beginning. He would do anything for her.

And even understanding these things, these new found, fragile, foreign emotions that had suddenly begun to sprout within his chest, she was still a stranger to him, seeking refuge in that of another mask, that of another façade. This time not a mask of false happiness, of plastic forgiveness. This time, the mask was that of an impassive alien.

Zuko knew that neither of these characters was the real girl he was in love with. But this knowledge also complicated things further. How could he be in love with a girl who always wore a new face? Whenever someone found her out she would sink back into herself, find a new mask and wear that one until someone new came along and found her out once more. The cycle would only continue; Zuko knew this and understood that he had to be the one to end it. Once and for all.

Carefully he stepped closer to the girl, gentle with his footfalls so as not to alarm her. She knew he was there all along though.

"Have you no one else to speak with?" she asked softly, emotionlessly. "As you can clearly see, I am not in the mood to associate with anyone."

Zuko didn't speak, merely lowered himself to the pier next to her, admiring the moon's reflection on the water below. The deep pool of liquid appeared an ink black against a purple night sky, the two different bodies touching gently, never ending. Zuko noticed Katara, face expressionless, twisting and turning a stream of liquid absently around her fingers. He had never seen her look so much like a corpse.

"Stop hiding from this Katara," his voice was gentle but also firm. He needed to snap her out of this state of indifference. He didn't think he could continue to watch as she shrank further and further back into herself, giving herself over to the dark waters claiming her mind. She had already fallen victim; was there still time to save her?

She didn't turn, didn't twitch; merely stared into the water below. "Why does it matter?" her voice seemed to carry on the wind. "Why does it matter so much to you what happens to me?"

In truth, he wasn't completely sure. "Because I care about you, about my friends. I cannot bear to watch as you live within this world of turmoil and destruction which you have constructed within yourself. It's suicidal, Katara. You _have_ to break free of this pain; otherwise you won't be able to move on."

The water stooped floating above the surface; it splashed back into the river with a _smack. _Slowly, her eyes turned and pierced his. "Why does it _matter_?!" she practically yelled. "What if I don't want to get over it? Huh? What if I simply want the anger and pain and unbearable truth to control me, drive me to insanity, kill—"

"Stop it," he growled. He seized her wrists and focused on her eyes, she tried to turn away. "Stop hiding from me," he whispered brokenly; his voice was practically pleading with her. This time she looked back at him, inquisitively.

"Stop pretending to be someone you're not. Please."

She studied him for a long time before releasing a shaky breath; he noticed she had tears in her eyes.

"I don't even know who I am anymore," she sounded like a lost child, abandoned, lonely. "I've tried to be something I'm not for most of my life; I don't think I even remember who I truly am. The little girl I once was."

He pulled her into an embrace, cradling her head as she sobbed uncontrollably into his chest. Hands fisted the fabric his shirt as if he were somehow a life preserver, her beacon of hope in the world of darkness she was sentenced to live in. Something so pure just didn't belong in something so tainted.

Once she had quieted, eyes groggily closing in exhaustion, he spoke. "I know who you are," he whispered, unaware that she could still hear him. He believed she was asleep. "You're Katara… the strong, stubborn, loving water bender of the group. The one who keeps us all together, the one that challenges me on a daily basis and never sways from her opinion… The one who believes in what is right, what is moral…" he paused, as if debating something within his mind. Suddenly, he continued, voice firm and strong. "The one I'm in love with."

*********So how was this one? This does not, in any form or fashion, constitute as a drabble but I just couldn't seem to stop writing. I hope you enjoyed it anyways, despite it not being a drabble. I considered posting it as a standalone one- shot but I decided against it; it just fits right into Destiny's Words. **

**REVIEW!!!!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	28. Death

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Death"_

1.) the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism

* * *

The pain hurt worse than anything he had ever experienced. _Anything_… now that was saying something.

The day he had received his scar would forever be branded into his memory, reminding him that one step out of line can result in dire consequences. The mark upon his face, penetrating and impending, subconsciously warned people to stay away from him, to run and hide before he got too close, came to their house and burned it to ashes.

Now he wasn't _that _horrific was he?

When the electric burning of his sister's lightning entered into him, yeah that was painful; the sensation of useless tissue and muscle, the odor of scorched flesh, the feeling of dying. Dying didn't seem that hard, not really. It sounded terrifying, but no way was it harder than living. Living, now _that_ was the hard part. That was the problem he desperately needed to find the solution to.

His gaze swept over the two embracing lovers, oblivious to their onlooker. Something tore at his heart, slicing a piece of him away to vanish into oblivion. Sooner or later he would be nothing more than what he should have been a long time ago. A rotting corpse; except he would be rotting inside a living body.

Dying was easy, living… now _that_ was the hard part.

******Simple, short, bittersweet. Sorry guys, I just really haven't been feeling any inspiration here lately. I'll be the first to admit that this one pretty much sucked. Well maybe not **_**totally**_**… but still not my best work. **

**Hope to hear some feedback from you guys! **

**REVIEW!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	29. Hollow

**DISCLAIEMR: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Hollow" _

1.) having a depression or concavity

* * *

Forgiving another human being should have struck her as something necessary, something vital to evade the extinction of the human race. If we all hold onto our grudges, suffocating ourselves with them, everybody would be at the other's throats.

Normally she was a very _peaceful_ individual, a person devoted to the preservation of harmony, of serenity.

But those words, serenity, harmony, _peace_, are just that at the end of the day: _words. _Hollow, empty characters with nothing to withhold the promise of such a thing. It was pointless to believe in something that you couldn't see; something you hadn't seen in all your life. _Peace, _she could have snorted.

When you grew up surrounded by the knowledge that any possible day, any day out of the calendar, you could be attacked by the _enemy_, you grew accustomed to carefully studying those around you. When you witness someone that you love on the brink of death, one wrong move and she's a goner, you begin to understand that there is no such thing as forgiveness and peace and prosperity in the entire world. Only hatred and greed and lustful, power-hungry tyrants.

She could have forgiven him a long time ago, could have told him that she was proud he had made the transformation to the "protectors of _peace" _but then she would be lying. She wasn't particularly happy that "Mr. Evil, Honor Seeking, Offspring of Lustful, Power- Hungry Tyrant" joined their little group.

She could tell her friends about her opinion, about her thoughts on the matter of the exiled prince. She could scream a million obscenities at him, throw accusations left and right. She could yell at her friends about their own stupidity, their lack of back- bone. But then, at the end of the day, all those things are merely words. Hollow, empty, fading words… nothing to withhold a promise, not even to allow the commencement of a promise.

******I kinda liked this one for a change. These drabbles that really dig inside Zuko and Katara's heads are my favorites at this moment. **

**So anyway, how was this one? I know this one is a little confusing, so if anybody has any question feel free to ask; I'll explain as best I can! :D**

**REVIEW!!!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	30. Birthmark

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"_Birthmark" _

1.) a minor disfigurement or blemish on a person's skin at birth

* * *

His warm fingers caressed the naked skin of her shoulder, fabric pulled down to the joint of her shoulder in order to reveal the discolored imprint that marked her skin since the moment she was born. The blue material hung loosely about as he examined the mark resembling a snow flake.

His typical rough hands, calloused due to his repetitive training, were somehow replaced with those that felt like silk, felt like velvet to her. She bit her lip to suppress a groan; she felt her arms go numb, rendered incapable of movement, had she actually _wanted_ to move that is.

"You're beautiful," he whispered; she felt his soft, inviting lips touch her shoulder gently; tender, like he was touching a new born baby. As though he were scared he would break her; yet, in this moment, she had never felt more vulnerable. Maybe he _could_ break her, her limbs did feel like useless mush at the moment.

She couldn't speak, there was no way she would be able to open her mouth and form coherent thoughts. She was too immersed in the way his fingers felt against her. She wanted it to always be like this: never hiding the truth from their friends, like they were now, never holding back; never afraid of telling the world how they felt about each other.

His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to him. He kissed her cheek tenderly. She felt his heartbeat through the fabric of their clothing, ramming against his ribcage, begging for release. Zuko was just as scared as she was, Katara realized. Was he scared she didn't feel the same way? How could he doubt that?

Before she could stop to contemplate the consequences of her words, she said the one thing she had promised herself she wouldn't speak until she knew, with absolute certainty, that he felt the same passion she did. "I love you," she whispered. An emotion she had never felt before filled her voice, bringing tears to her eyes.

She heard only silence at first, until she felt him nuzzle her neck, trailing kisses from the birthmark on her shoulder to her cheek. She tilted her head back entirely, relishing the way his lips felt against her. They were right, they felt so incredibly _right_.

"I love you too," he whispered. His voice didn't waver, not in the slightest.

******* I was reading through the avatar archive and this idea just suddenly came to me out of nowhere. **

**So yea… as you can see, even the most basic of these "sensual" scenes are not my forte. I didn't think it sounded as passionate as I was going for but… oh well! **

**REVIEW!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	31. Truce

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS.**

"_Truce" _

1.) a temporary respite, as from trouble or pain.

* * *

Katara strolled through the market, attempting to lose the fire bender trailing her as inconspicuously as she possibly could. The group had assigned Zuko and herself to "market duty" this week. It was their job to purchase the necessary items required for their travels. Katara, needless to say, was _extremely _unhappy about the fact that she was expected to be civil to Zuko. Her pride was totally demolished, shattered into a million pieces.

"Katara!" a slightly winded, dark- haired boy called out once he caught up to her.

He stepped right in front of her, blocking her path. She glared at him, daring him with her eyes. "You know, I think you need to train more; you're slacking off. I wasn't moving very fast at all and you're actually _breathless. _Which is to be understandable when you slack off. I don't understand—"

She was rambling but she couldn't seem to stop her lips from moving. She needed to release some of the tension building inside her somehow. And right now the best way to do that was to talk Zuko to death. Said boy finally covered her mouth with his hand, looking weary.

"Katara, please just shut up for once. It's like you _never _stop talking. How has the group survived this torture?" his voice lacked its usual mockery, which told Katara that he wasn't putting his whole heart into the insult. She would have hit him with her water whip had it not been for that little piece of information.

She tried to calm her nerves. She had never felt more drained, even after training endlessly with Aang. Mentally she was exhausted, physically she felt like she could take down an entire Fire Nation army, singlehandedly, with her hands tied behind her back in less than ten minutes.

"Sorry," she told him. It was just a slip of the tongue, an automatic reaction, impulsive, natural. However, Katara still grumbled inwardly when he turned around to smirk at her, obvious surprise in his eyes. She narrowed her eyes at him, somewhat regretting the blow to her pride; still she didn't _necessarily_ regret telling him she was sorry. It was true; for weeks she had wanted to say something to him, tell him how awful she felt about the entire situation, but she would always automatically push those feelings aside, and remind herself of the horrible things Zuko had done.

But, as she studied the palpable relief and happiness in his eyes, Katara allowed a smile, a genuine one, to touch her lips.

She stuck her hand out in the open, showing him she was serious. Cocking an eyebrow in question she spoke, "Truce?"

He smiled widely and nodded, placing his hand in hers. "Truce." He agreed.

*******Ta Da!!! Another drabble DONE! But I've still got sooooo much to do! I' ve got to update this thing like three more times (I'm without any ideas by the way). I might go ahead and do a marriage prompt; I wanted to save those for a little later (for reasons I won't tell you; haha) but I think I'll give into temptation. **

**I've got to update WS too, ugh. I do know what I want to do with the next chapter but the trick is sitting down and working it out. **

**Anyway, REVIEW!!! **

**OH Before I forget! I want to extend my most gracious appreciation to the members of this amazing website who have been so faithful to **_**Destiny's Words. **_**You guys who have reviewed like every chapter, telling me what you liked and what I need to work on, I love you! It means sooo much to me that people out there like my stories and it means that much more when you tell me why! **

**So I just wanted to tell ya'll what amazing people you are!!!! **

**Love you!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	32. Rain

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **_

_"Rain"_

1.) water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere

* * *

Mother had always told him that she found the answers to her most troubling and disturbing questions while standing in the rain.

It _cleansed _her, she would tell him, a little spark of mischievousness in her eyes. He had rolled his eyes dubiously, letting her words bounce off of him. They were meaningless anyway, he already knew everything….

"Why are you acting like this?" he asked the woman before him, rage building inside him. This was difficult for him too; couldn't she see that?

Rain clouds loomed overhead, threatening the two of them, glaring at them from above. Tiny diamonds fell to the earth in clusters until the amount of rain water drastically accelerated. The millions of tiny water droplets formed a veil between the two people, Zuko only being able to distinguish Katara's outline. He squinted in an attempt to better see her. He couldn't, so he stepped forward, closer to her.

Her body turned away from him, blocking him out… what else was new? Thin arms crossed over her chest, eyes poised away from him, lips drawn into a tight line.

Raindrops soaked their clothing all the way through to the bone, but they scarcely had the heart to notice. He begged her to understand where he was coming from, it was pleading for mercy from his father for all the good it was doing.

"Katara…"

She turned to him, looked straight into his heart for the first time since Ba Sing Se. Water gathered on her dark lashes, merging with her tears.

Zuko stopped cold; something inside of him broke at the sight of that look.

He had never seen Katara, not really; he had never particularly wanted to really see her. Now that was inevitable. That strange concoction of emotion in her eyes; potent, beautiful, distrustful, but still longing to be given the chance, tore at him, nagged at him.

His mother was right.

Sometimes you did find the answers to your most troubling problems in the rain.

That day, that day of revelation, he realized what it was that made Katara distrust him, what it was that made her love him. Both of these questions received the same answer: he was simply… _him_; arrogant, sophisticated, withdrawn, cold and even _loving._ Katara abhorred him, but still, somehow, she found it in herself to love him more deeply than thought possible.

*******Hate, hate, HATE this one. Written in haste, horribly organized. I've been reading some absolutely stunning pieces and I guess my self- motivation hasn't been that high this week. **

**Hope you thought it was suitable anyway. **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	33. Mood Swings

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

* * *

"_Mood Swings" _

1.) A mood swing is an extreme or rapid change in mood.

* * *

"You're _soooo_ inconsiderate!" Katara sobbed, stomping her foot and glaring at her bewildered boyfriend.

Zuko held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. Eyes wide and cautious, he spoke. "What did I do wrong baby?"

Her glare, if possible, became even more intense. "Don't you _'What did I do baby?' _me! You know _exactly_ what you did, you lying, sleazy jerk!"

Zuko's eye twitched in annoyance. Her outbursts had been a recurring thing for the past few days. His uncle had explained far more about the female body than he felt comfortable repeating yesterday when he had finally mustered enough dignity to discuss his girlfriend's mood swings with someone.

"Katara, what are you talking about?" he asked in a tight voice, trying to control his temper.

Suddenly more tears gushed out of her eyes. Zuko reacted automatically. What now? "Katara!" he took a step towards her, which was the exact moment she launched herself into his arms. After a moment of hesitant surprise, his arms encircled her sobbing form.

"Oh Zuko! I'm so sorry for not trusting you! I am so horrible and mean and terrible and rude and—"

He silenced her with a quick kiss. She smiled at him, eyes red and puffy.

"You're forgiven," he whispered. _Maybe the mood swings were over for the day, _he thought, _that would be nice…_

"ZUKO!" Katara yelled furiously, pulling away from him. "_WHY _exactly is there a lipstick stain on your shirt?"

"Katara, that's yours!"

*******Hey guys. Sorry I have been lax about updating. ****Well I hope you enjoyed this one. I have been in a darker, depressed mood here lately so that's why so many of my previous drabbles have been angst; I tried to write a lighter one this time around. I hope I did an okay job. **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	34. Be My Valentine

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS ORIGINAL OWNERS. **

"_Be My Valentine" _

1.) a sweetheart chosen or greeted on this day.

"So Katara… there's this holiday we celebrate in the Fire Nation…"

Katara looked at Zuko, raising one brow. Her lips suppressed a grin. "Yes…?"

Zuko rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Repressing a blush, he rambled on, averting his gaze from the water bender's.

"Well… uh… erm… well…"

Katara sighed and shook her head. Sometimes he could be so dense. Hands trailing his shirt, fingering the buttons on the front suggestively, she moved her hips this way and that, a smirk playing across her lips. He glanced up at her, surprised.

She quickly took advantage of this moment and moved in, closing the distance between the two of them. Pressing her body against his, she wound her arms around his neck, threading her fingers into his hair. At first, the boy was shocked, tensing beneath her touch until that quickly melted into something else… something bright and burning and beautiful.

Two pairs of lips moved together in synchronism, blocking the world and everyone in it out of the bubble of bliss they had fabricated with the other. The intensity of their kiss radiated off their bodies, practically sending waves of happiness and ecstasy to the rest of the world.

Finally they parted, panting and grinning. Katara smiled at him and placed a single kiss on his neck. Then, her lips trailed his jaw line, his cheeks, his nose, his eyelids, which were, at that moment, closed in pleasure. Her finger tips barely brushed the exposed skin of his arms and of his chest. He moaned.

"And Zuko…" she mumbled through the lips crushed over hers. She tried to calm the butterflies flitting through her stomach, the frequent jitters she received as a result of his close proximity. She was, after all, still new to this whole romantic thing, the two of them only began dating recently. But she did, however, know for a fact that the burning ember of vibrant need she felt for him deep inside her was not in any way something to be overlooked. The way her heart rate could exceed the normal limit whenever his bare chest glistened with sweat in the sunlight, the rays of yellow casting a sort of spotlight around the outline of his body, was something she was not going to ignore. He looked so dang sexy right now, his shirt open to reveal the top of his toned, porcelain chest, the red of his shirt contrasting perfectly with the pale skin; his hair slightly tousled and his golden eyes closed in exhilaration... she could have melted into a puddle of mush right then and there.

"Hmm…?" he mumbled in reply, face buried in her hair, relishing the smell of her; like the early morning after a rain shower. His lips skimmed her hair- line, down her temple, her cheeks, her collarbone. His heartbeat accelerated when he heard her release a soft moan through her barred lips, falling limp in his arms.

"We celebrate Valentine's Day in the Water Tribes too, you know." she whispered shakily, pulling his chin down towards her for another kiss before he could retaliate.

*******Quick, simple, sappy. We gotta love it. Haha. Well I hope you liked it and I hope you drop me a review. **

**Thanks guysez! **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	35. Kissing 101

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS RESPECTIVE OWNERS. **

"Kissing 101"

1.) A kiss is the touching of one's lips to another person or object, used to express love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, and good luck. ...

* * *

"So tell me kidlings," Toph said in an authoritative, yet mischievous tone, "Have any one of you had any difficulty getting up the nerve to kiss a member of the opposite sex?"

Seven pairs of extremely wide, slightly frightened eyes looked back at her. Toph nodded her head as if one of them had spoken. "That's what I had predicted." She stroked her chin, lost in thought.

Suddenly she snapped her eyes towards a child, no more than seven or eight, in the front row. The poor Earth Kingdom child, her short, brown hair pulled around her face like a curtain, shielding her blush, didn't even see the devious grin playing across her teacher's face.

Toph stomped her feet closer to the girl and lowered herself to the child's face. The little girl's green, frightened eyes snapped towards her. "What's your name, kid?" Toph asked.

"J-Juna." She told her, voice quivering.

"And have you, Juna, ever wanted to kiss a guy?"

The girl's eyes widened and her blush intensified. "Well…uh…uh…"

"Toph!" Katara yelled, her voice slightly muffled through the rock encasing her. "LET ME OUT OF THIS PRISON! I SWEAR I—"

"Shut it Sugar Queen!" Toph yelled back, still grinning. "I'm _trying _to further the education of our future!"

Katara huffed in aggravation. "Tell me, _why _am I stuck in here with Zuko?"

"You say that like it's a punishment," Zuko muttered.

Toph grinned. "Oh, don't worry Sugar Queen. You're fixin' to find out."

"Sensei Toph… may I… may I please leave?" Juna pleaded.

"No," Toph snapped. Immediately the girl looked away, blushing fiercely.

Toph sighed. "On with the lesson."

Flicking her wrist lightly, Toph allowed the earth wall to disappear back into the ground, releasing a very angry Katara and a very annoyed Zuko.

"_What _in Agni's name are you teaching these children?" Katara ground out.

Toph smiled. "Oh… valuable lessons on life."

"Well I—"

"No one needs your opinion Sugar Queen. You are simply an experiment."

"I'm _what?!" _

Toph sighed, shaking her head as she flicked her wrist again, caging Katara and Zuko in rock bindings. Moving her hands together, she brought the two annoyed, bound individuals closer together, a mere two or three inches separating them.

Both teens looked flustered and highly embarrassed.

"TOPH!" they yelled in unison. A few children giggled.

"Now, our first lesson is going to be on the different types of kisses. What does each of them mean?" Her voice was dramatic as she intentionally ignored Katara's cries of outrage.

"Okay, specimens," she addressed the water and fire benders. "Show my class an example of a _friendly _kiss."

Katara's eye twitched and Zuko nervously averted his gaze between the two girls, scared out of his mind that Katara was about to attack the closest thing available… which at the moment was, unfortunately, him.

"WHAT?!" she screamed. "You are suggesting that Zuko and I _kiss _each other?! As if!"

Toph glared. "You are disrupting my class, Sugar Queen." She threatened.

Katara glared right back. "I guess you just won't get set free then," the younger girl drawled.

Gritting her teeth, Katara sucked in a breath and kissed Zuko's cheek.

Toph clapped, as did the rest of the class. "Very good. That, my children, was an example of the "friend" kiss. Would anyone like to try it?" One girl raised her hand and quickly gave the boy next to her an unexpected kiss on the cheek. Both of them blushed feverishly.

Toph smiled." Very good. On with the next example."

"WHAT?" Katara yelled, thrashing in her bindings.

Toph tightened them, but otherwise pretended as though the other girl hadn't spoken.

"The next example is the "sweet- heart" kiss. This type of kiss is usually a quick peck on the lips, often seen by couples who are in a public place." Toph signaled for Katara and Zuko to continue.

Katara's jaw set defiantly. "_Ohhh, _no. No _way _am I—"

Zuko cut her off with a quick kiss on the lips, silencing her tirade. He quickly pulled away from her; Katara was too stunned to scream at him.

"_Thank_ _you _Sparky. I would like to see Sweetness behave as well as you are," she set a pointed glare on Katara, which the other girl ignored; too busy staring at Zuko, who was purposely staring at the market place.

"Finally, our last kiss of this class is the… _passionate _kiss." She emphasized passionate.

"Show us this kiss my two lovelies." Toph demanded, grinning.

Both Katara and Zuko looked at Toph threateningly, and then glanced at the other. Finally, the two of them, hesitantly, leaned closer together until they reached the other's face. Two pairs of lips moved against the other, equally exerting a forceful push on the other. The kiss was almost like a battle, both of them trying to receive the upper- hand, fighting the other for total domination.

The group of young children looked on, eyes wide. Each child exchanged glances with the others around them, admiring Katara and Zuko.

The two benders didn't even realize that they were no longer bound.

Toph smirked, rewarding herself with a mental pat on the back as she observed her newest feat with smug knowingness. And Sweetness and Sparky said they hated each other! Ha! It was so painfully obvious to everyone, well _maybe_ just her, that the two of them loved the other so much that they couldn't stand it.

She was so caught up in her musing that she didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

"WHAT THE—!" Sokka screamed, looking murderous as he stared at his sister sucking face with the fire bender.

Aang looked shocked… but not because of the two people on stage, he hadn't even looked that way yet. He was staring, unbelievably, at the _seven year old children _sucking face with each other.

"Toph…?" Aang asked, almost afraid of the answer. Toph laughed out- right when she felt the anxious hearts of several mothers bustling over to their children as they attempted to pull the kids away from each other.

"Aww… " Toph said, placing a hand over her heart dramatically. "My students learned something from me. I'm so proud."

"I'm going to kill you," Sokka muttered darkly when Toph restrained him from separating Katara and Zuko. "After I kill the traitor fire bender."

"Whatever Sokka," Toph sighed. "But look, my class is already 99% effective. You can't take my two specimens away from me, otherwise the class won't be able to function."

Aang looked at her questionably. "What about the other 1%?"

Toph pointed to Katara and Zuko, "Well they didn't rip each other's clothes off, did they? That means that I need to work a little harder to get that to happen next time."

Aang blanched, Suki giggled and Sokka screamed like a wild, wounded animal.

Even then, Katara and Zuko didn't break apart.

******This idea sounded sooooo much better in my head. Anyway, I loved the idea of Toph making a class on kissing, using Katara and Zuko as her examples. Well… I don't think this turned out near as good as I thought it would… but I really hope you liked it anyway. **

**Also, I had no idea how to end it… so sorry the ending sucked. **

**REVIEW PLEASE!!  
~Moonlit- Silhouette**


	36. Love

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIR BENDER; ALL RIGHTS GO TO ITS RESPECIVE OWNERS. **

"_Love_"

1.) a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

* * *

Moonlight rays filtered through the cracks in their earth tent, serving as a rough barricade from the outside world. With the diminutive light supply, Zuko gazed tenderly down at his beloved, who slept soundly, unaware of his watching her, of his adoring expression of love for her.

Zuko smiled slightly as he studied Katara while she lay in the serene arms of slumber. Her hair splayed out against his pale arm, the dark tint of those beautiful, thick, lively tresses contrasting greatly with the pale color of his arm. His fingers carefully smoothed a strand behind her ear and out of her sleeping eyelids. His thumb hovered above her soft- as- silk skin for a moment longer than it should have as an idea formed in his mind.

Fumbling for the pocket of his shirt, he retrieved the trinket he had been withholding, keeping it from her until the time was right. Maybe he should practice before he actually did the deed… maybe that would make this a _bit _easier… He was scared out of his mind that she'd reject him, scoff at him, scorn him. She said she loved him, but... was it enough? Was it enough to overcome the prejudices of the people that didn't believe in them; the hateful, spiteful words that were sure to haunt them?

Taking a deep breath, Zuko gazed down at Katara affectionately, imagining her with her beautiful sapphire irises open, staring at him with the same love and devotion that mirrored the expression in his eyes. Agni, how he loved her, how he wanted to love her for eternity… no, _longer _than eternity.

He whispered his words into the darkness, not expecting anyone to possibly hear him. "Katara… you… you are everything to me. Absolutely everything. My life used to revolve around nothing but power and position, but you… you made me a better man; you helped heal my blind eyes, heal me in a way that no one had ever succeeded in accomplishing before. You helped me see the world in a whole new way. And, somewhere along the road to redemption, I… I fell in unconditional, hopeless love with you; which is exactly why I'm here before you now… asking you... if you'll marry me." He finished the speech he had worked on for months, perfecting it down to the very last word. He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect for her; she would have nothing but the best.

He didn't notice that those gorgeous, enticing blue eyes had groggily opened in curiosity until his confession was made. He heard a slight intake of breath; his eyes snapped towards her.

A smile played on her lips, eyes swam with happy tears. She lay bathed in moonlight in the middle of the night, eyes groggy from sleep and yet so awake with surprise at the same time, hair untidy from her slumber… and yet Zuko had never seen a creature so perfect and captivating.

"Yes," she breathed, love evident in the way she pronounced the word. Zuko could've melted. Hands shaking visibly, he slid the trinket onto her third finger of her left hand. It wasn't much; they were in the middle of a war after all, it wasn't as though he could afford a massive diamond for her to wear nor could he create a suitable betrothal necklace for her in such short time. But, for some reason, the small, seemingly meaningless ring of metal, which Zuko had found during his search of the forest sometime back, seemed perfect for her, for _them_. This relationship was still new and fragile, still unknown to the world. Never before had their type of relationship existed.

The ring sparkled in the moonlight and, the closer Katara looked, the easier it was to see the word pressed into the ring, one tiny word written in rough, yet eloquent, calligraphy. Zuko must have had a rough time trying to perfect the lettering.

Katara and Zuko both said the word at the exact time, "Destiny." They smiled at each other through their tears, realizing that destiny, the will of the Gods, the Fates- whatever superior body lay on the fringes of reality- had brought them together for a reason…

Wrenching herself awake, Katara gasped desperately, trying to catch her breath and slow her racing heart back to its usual tempo.

Once the initial shock of the dream had subsided, the waterbender's eyes drifted towards the firebender she had dreamed so affectionately of, her gaze sweeping across his lithe form, watching in fascination as his chest rose and fell in sync with his breaths. Then, as quickly as the curiosity had spiked, she remembered who it was that she was gazing so intently at. Disgust and shame racked her body; tears filling her eyes, she swiftly turned her head, towards that of the boy who was in love with her, who would possibly always be in love with her.

Guilt surged within her as she stared at Aang, at his unconscious form, drinking in the blissful look of contentment that hung upon his face. She knew she couldn't feel the things she had felt in her dream for someone else other than Aang; this was her obligation to the world, to the boy who would save this world. She wouldn't allow herself to become infatuated with someone who would never love her back anyway. Forgetting Zuko, and the vivid dream, would be te best course of action for her. Being with Aang was safe, comfortable even; she was doing the right thing...

Her unattainable subconscious thoughts locked away into the darkest part of her core, the truth of reality entered into Katara's mind once more. She frowned, and her eyes flickered shut for a mere moment, a yawn threatening to tear through her throat. Despite her body's frantic need for sleep, her mind was wide- awake and she knew she would not make it back to sleep again anytime soon.

*******I changed the ending around from the first time I posted this. Hope you liked it. **

**Thanks guys,**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	37. To Make Her Love Me

******Gosh, it has been awhile, hasn't it? Well, fear not! I am not dead, though the horrid writer's block that has claimed me has made me feel like it! I haven't had any ideas for _Destiny's Words _or _Wailing Sparrow_ and this information depresses me. :'( However, I am still going to manage to finish these stories. Do not fret; these pieces WILL be finished. **

**Ok, I was going through my iPod today, and came across this absolutely beautiful song and I automatically thought of Aang. So, I guess this is an Aang POV, with implied Zutara... sort of. Hope you enjoy! :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own, _Avatar: The Last Airbender _or the song "To Make Her Love Me" by Rascal Flatts. All rights go to their rightful owners. **

**-ooooo-**

To Make Her Love Me

The night was humid, the sticky moisture clinging desperately to the young airbending monk who was currently seated upon his flying biason's head. The two of them soared through the darkened skies, reaching extreme speeds, just so that Aang could attempt to clear his thoughts of all things Katara. He just couldn't deal with the pain.

Thoughts of his love brought with them a foreign stinging at the back of his grey eyes, which were currently stormy, resembling overcast skies preparing for a rambunctious storm. The usually calm and rational monk wanted nothing more than to hit something at that moment, attack something with his bare hands, ripping it apart from its core. Aang grasped the reigns of Appa's saddle with a vice- like grip, the pressure exerted on the leather handling devices enough to cause physical pain to his knuckles. He didn't notice; he was searching his memories, attempting to unearth when exactly Katara, the only girl he had ever felt so strongly for, had decided that he just wasn't good enough for her. He couldn't recall any time when their relationship had been anything less than perfect.

However, the more the naïve airbender remained locked inside his memories, the less hazy the truth became. As his memories replayed themselves across the backs of his eyelids, Aang saw things that he had been blinded by when Katara was his girlfriend. When he would kiss her, she seemed reluctant to kiss him back, simply placing a light peck against the two raised pieces of sensitive flesh on his face. He had brushed her rejection off with excuses as simple as she just wasn't in the mood to kiss him at that moment or sometimes even excuses that were as elaborate as playing Uncle Iroh in a game of Pai Sho; he just couldn't bring himself to admit that she might not love him anymore, or if she had ever loved him in the first place.

He remembered the celebration Zuko threw in the Fire Nation for the anniversary of the first year of the end of the war. Aang had told Katara how beautiful she looked in her ruby colored dress, the hem brushing the floor; she had responded with a small smile and a kiss to the cheek. When Zuko had approached her, and told her just how beautiful she looked, she had blushed, averting her gaze to a podium off to her right, where a marble bust of the new and improved Fire Lord was stationed; Aang had passed her odd reaction to the fire bender off as she was simply hot due to Zuko's close proximity.

The night Aang told her just how much he loved her, she had looked away, stuttering a lie about how she felt the same; her hands had been trembling, and tears threatened to spill over onto the tops of her cheeks. He had thought that these reactions were a result of just how happy she was; he hadn't registered the sadness swimming in her eyes, a sadness she was obviously trying to withhold, to conquer.

Aang slapped a tattooed hand against his forehead, stifling the sobs wracking his body, fighting to remain in control as he delved deeper into the memories, noticing the little things that gave the truth away, the little things he hadn't noticed initially.

The day of Katara's nineteenth birthday he had given her extravagant robes from the Earth Kingdom, made of the finest silk, embroidered panda lilies adorning the ivory colored ensemble; she had smiled slightly, told him how much she loved it and hugged him. Her eyes had been devoid of any kind of happiness, though; he had thought that she was merely tired from the long week of flying to the Fire Nation. Aang recommended that she lay down, and he felt slightly guilty for having her travel all this way after she had just gotten home from another expedition to the Earth Kingdom, but Fire Lord Zuko _had _announced his engagement to Lady Mai, after all; they wouldn't be very good friends had they not come to help him celebrate.

The tension in Aang's chest tightened; he quivered, fighting the pain, fighting the tears. He couldn't tell whether or not his chest was hollow or weighted down.

"Please Agni," he whispered, almost brokenly, his voice lacking the usual cheerful air that was so becoming of the young monk, "please… make her love me. I've seen what you can do; how hard could this simple request be? Please… make her love me."

He received no response; no bright light gathering in the sky, no caressing whirlwind whipping around his head, carrying his soft words up to the heavens… nothing. Aang bowed his head in defeat, listening half- heartedly to the buzzing in his ears that was a result of the deafening silence.

His eyes closed, and, with clammy palms, he placed his head into the valley created by his two hands. He wept.

His tears streaked down his palms, stroking his skin in an almost affectionate way, as if his very own tears were weeping with him, feeling his pain, and trying to find a way to comfort him. And as Aang sat in the skies, Appa making grunting noises of compassion, assuring his master that he was there for him, the night had evolved into dawn, tar colored skies brightening into the peaceful oranges and yellows of morning. The stars and the moon disappeared; the sun rose, and brought with him hope for a new day, a new beginning.

The tears halted, if only momentarily, and Aang, exhausted, looked up, relishing the warmth the morning offered.

**-ooooo-**

******Well, I hope this makes up for my lack of updating. The last weeks of school were hectic, and writer's block had claimed me as his victim. :( But, now it is officially SUMMER! :D Yay! I know the ending was kind of abrupt, but if I had continued, this piece would have clashed with another of these short snippets. ;)**

**Thanks guys! Oh, and if you have the time, mind dropping me a review? Please... **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette**


	38. Sweaty

******I wrote this a while back, but never posted it. I just found it while I was checking the inventory in my Word Processor. I rather enjoyed writing this one; oh goodness, this was fun! :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own, nor claim to own, _Avatar: The Last Airbender; _all rights are reserved for its original owners. **

**-ooooo-**

Sweaty

1.) Covered, moist, or stained with sweat

**

* * *

**

"Ah!" Katara yelled as she dodged an oncoming cluster of tendrils of fire, executed by none other than Zuko. She regained her footing quickly, and had enough time to send her foe a glare.

He just smirked, the corners of his lips turning up into a small smile, the fire in his eyes outshining that of his bending.

Both benders circled one another, attempting to predict each other's next moves. With each attack, the other countered, and the cycle was repeated.

Their sparring arena consisted of a square of the forest behind their campsite, cut away by numerous fire blasts to the greenery and outlined by charcoal- colored tree trunks. Tree limbs dangled lazily as the breeze caught them, making them sway to and fro.

The two didn't take recognition of anything other than each other, training their eyes on the footwork and stances that their rival used, hoping to gain the upper-hand.

Katara's water whip bashed against the pale porcelain colored skin that was Zuko's arm; he hissed, startled.

It was Katara's turn to smirk; however, the action caused her to, momentarily, divert her attention from the subject in front of her. This gave Zuko the ideal opportunity to corner her between his body and a large tree trunk.

Once she had taken notice of this, she wanted to stomp her foot like a child, and demand a rematch, because she could see that she was beaten.

Still, she didn't give in just yet. Narrowing her eyes, she bended the sweat that had been collecting on her bronze forehead away, preparing to attack him head- on… and hope it was enough to startle him; thus, allowing her to slip back into her previous position in the makeshift arena, away from the tree trunk.

The triumphant smirk that was beginning to turn Zuko's lips upward just furthered Katara's need to beat him in this battle; she used her annoyance to her advantage, adding it to the vat of energy that was simmering inside her, preparing to be unleashed.

However, Zuko was faster; she underestimated him too much. He was suddenly right in front of her, his hot breath tickling her nose. She was frozen, unable to unlock her eyes from his beautiful, molten ones, burning with amusement; he chuckled, pushing her backwards until pieces of the burned tree trunk were biting into her back. She didn't notice.

One of his huge palms encircled both of her wrists, the heat radiating from that palm exploding in the waterbender's veins. Pinning those frozen hands above their possessor, Zuko finally leaned in, his nose touching hers. Oh La, was he going to kiss her?

For some odd, foreign reason, Katara didn't actually mind the thought of Zuko's lips touching hers, his heat merging with the cooler temperature of her, their arms encircling each other's necks, his tongue pushing its way past the barricade of her teeth—

"Don't waterbend your sweat away again—ever," he whispered huskily, hot breath whisking across Katara's face. "I find you rather sexy when you're mad and sweaty."

With that, he unpinned her, leaving her rather flustered and bewildered. He smirked again, and walked away, his bare chest glistening with his own accumulation of sweat. _Oh Agni,_ she mentally screamed, her annoyance returning, _one of these days I _will _wipe that damn smirk off of his face! _

_********_**Haha, I really enjoyed writing that one. :) So, if you don't mind, drop me a review, ok? Tell me how I did. :)**

**Thanks guys, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette**


	39. Natural Beauty

******Yay! Another update! Aren't you guys proud of me? :D**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN, NOW CLAIM TO OWN**, _**AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR ITS ORIGINAL OWNERS. **_

_Natural Beauty_

To say that Katara was practically _terrified _of stepping out into that ballroom filled to capacity with eyes dead- set on judging her would have been a _massive _understatement. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, the bones reverberating simultaneously with each thrum of the vital organ.

As she pulled a gust of air into her awaiting windpipe, she attempted to calm herself, thinking rationally about the outcome of tonight. Surely she was simply overreacting; surely the night wouldn't turn out to be a total disaster… maybe.

Shaking her thoughts away, she stared into the mirror, admiring her ensemble for the evening from every angle, searching meticulously for any hairpin or accessory that might be out of place. Thankfully, she found none, but, to her utmost dismay, she was still unable to quiet the blood that pounded uncomfortably in her temples.

To attempt another diversion from her anxious thoughts, Katara turned towards the mirror again, squinting slightly as she investigated her painted face, bewilderment soon overtaking her as she studied the accuracy of Suki's steady hand, the perfection of the lines of makeup adorning the Southern Water Tribe native's face. Azure eyes were ringed with fine black lines, and full lashes. Mocha skin was heavily powdered; an innocent pinkish tint glided across her cheeks, merging with a bronze shimmer that highlighted her cheekbones. Katara smiled silently, watching as foreign, bright red lips extended upwards in order for her teeth to show.

As the waterbender stared at her reflection, she felt the emotions of nervousness and anxiety gradually leave her. She felt herself slightly relishing the way that the face paints had transformed her appearance; the nineteen year old felt a bubble of warm contentment and confidence burst within her core, splattering everything in its path. Although Katara had worn makeup before, Suki's precision and creativity was something that anyone would take time to admire. She felt her smile widen almost as much as Sokka's mouth on Meat Market Monday.

Smiling widely, she hiked her red skirt slightly just below her ankles to avoid stumbling over the hem of the pretty dress, and exited her room, leaving any and all negative thoughts and feelings behind her.

While the girl basked in the warmth she felt due to her newly acquired confidence, she didn't hear the nimble footsteps behind her, pairs of soft padding sounds on the flooring of the hallways.

Two arms snaked around her waist; she immediately jumped, and turned to face her captor. His eyes were alight with laughter when blue met gold.

His grin slowly slackened as he scrutinized the mingling colors on the canvas of Katara's face; he didn't look displeased, only curious and surprised.

A solitary pale finger stroked her cheek, and Katara knew a small amount of the blush and powder had been deposited onto that finger. She wanted to frown at him disapprovingly; Suki had spent all this time 'prettifying her' as the warrior had put it, and it would be mocking the girl if the Fire Lord tarnished all of that hard work.

When he still hadn't spoken, his eyes still slowly crossing her face, taking in every inch of skin that had been blended with makeup, Katara found her voice.

"Suki said that I should wear makeup for tonight," she mumbled, still following his eyes, seeking a glimmer of what he might be thinking, "I went along with it. I want to make sure that I make a good impression."

The ghost of a smile played across his lips, his finger was still tracing her skin, drawing invisible symbols there on her cheeks. His eyes looked deeply within hers, and it was as though he had pushed past all of the barriers she had constructed in order to protect her heart, and found her soul; the look he was giving her made her think that he had found that intimate part of her, that something that she was terrified to allow anyone into, and was worshipping it, "My people are going to love you. That, I can assure you of."

She smiled brightly, content with remaining twined into his arms for the rest of eternity. She didn't want to move; she wanted to stay attached to him, feeling his fingers flicker across her skin, wisps of his breath sweeping across her face.

His finger had made contact with the sensitive flesh of her bottom lip, and she sucked in a breath of fervent need; she _needed _him to lower his mouth to hers. Pushing herself onto the tips of her toes, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and tried to connect their two sets of lips, lips that seemed to fill the spaces of the other set.

Right when their lips would have made contact, and a white- hot explosion would erupt in both of their veins, Zuko placed his finger against her painted lips. She looked at him, confused and hurt, rejection reigning dominant in her veins, he gently swiped the red gunk away on the back of his hand, revealing her small, rosy tinted lips that had been masked beneath.

"Perfect," he whispered against her mouth.

Once they had parted, Katara had retreated towards her room, and removed the remaining makeup from her skin, ignoring Suki's looks of hurt and anger the rest of the night.

******Aww, some sappy Zutara goodness. ;D So... did you like? love? hate? Whatever your answer to this question was, please tell me!**

**-Have a wonderful rest of the week!**

**P.S: Guys, I have read this thing ten MILLION times but something is up with document manager; it's jacking up all my files. :( So, if there are mistakes, please tell me so I can fix them. :) Thanks!**

**~Moonlit- Silhouette**


	40. Anniversary

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor claim to own, _Avatar: The Last Airbender; _all rights are reserved for its original owners.**

_Anniversary_

_1.) the date on which an event occurred in some previous year (or the celebration of it)_

**oOoOo**

Azure colored eyes drifted back towards the window, glancing longingly through the thin portal into the outside world. It was such a beautiful day, the sun beating down on the grounds below, orange and red flowers basking in the warmth and glow of their fiery friend above. The green of the grass was a most vibrant shade today, its bright green hue contrasting greatly with the sky above, oranges and yellows and pinks swirling together into one great mass; two great bodies that skimmed the surface of the other, barely touching, but aware of the looming presence of the other.

Fidgeting in her seat, awaiting the arrival of Zuko to carry her to breakfast for some kind of meeting or another, Katara found that she was quite annoyed. This was _not _how she pictured this day. Today was special; it shouldn't be reserved for politics and the uninteresting babble of delegates from the other nations. It shouldn't.

A knock on her door brought her to the surface of her thoughts, where she was no longer swimming in her musings. "Come in," she said, not bothering to sugar- coat the annoyance in her voice.

He stuck his head through the door, and Katara found herself at a loss for words. No matter how tired or annoyed or completely and totally furious with him she may be, seeing his face always brought her into a state of happiness. He didn't realize just how much he did for her, even unconsciously.

He stepped through the door, and softly closed it behind him, taking in her appearance with his one remaining eyebrow raised. He had taken her advice after the war, and didn't cut his hair. It still hung loosely around his face, grazing his cheeks affectionately. Suddenly he smirked.

"I take it you are ready for this meeting?"

Katara scoffed. "_No_, I am not, Zuko. This day was supposed to be special, not filled with useless meetings." Suddenly she took in his attire— he wasn't garbed in his usual robes reserved only for special occasions; he was clad in a pair of simple red pants and a T-shirt. She couldn't understand why; she was wearing one of her finest dresses and had even allowed one of her handmaidens to fashion her hair in the traditional Fire Nation style of a top- knot. Still, she had taken two small portions of her hair in front to resemble her hair loopies; she wasn't about to let her lineage escape from her completely, even if she did live in the Fire Nation now.

"Why are you dressed like that? I thought—"

"I rescheduled the meetings," He told her, walking towards her, with a twinkle in his eye. He wore a soft smile on his face.

"But... why? Zuko I'm confused. We had that meeting and then several others, throughout the day. You said they were important—"

He silenced her with a light kiss, nothing but his lips gently pressed against hers. But it conveyed everything they had discovered that they felt for one another throughout the past eleven months.

He twined a red Fire Lily into her hair, behind her right ear, and smiled at her, the skin beneath his good eye crinkling. The gleam in his eye, the look he was giving her; she felt it in her heart just how much he meant it, how genuine his feelings for her were. It seemed as though an entire conversation was exchanged, yet neither one of them said a word. Finally, Zuko opened his mouth, his voice so soft and quiet; his lips hovered just a mere fraction of an inch above hers.

"Happy anniversary," he whispered, and covered her mouth with his once more.

**oOoOo**

**Author's Notes: I am sooooo sorry that I have been so spotty with my updates these past months. I feel awful! But, I do plan on updating more frequently, and plan my time better. Honestly, I've had plenty of time to update, I've just chosen not to. Sorry! But I hope that you enjoyed this 'drabble', for lack of a better word (I can't write anything super short to save my life!). **

**Thanks for reading, and don't be afraid to leave your thoughts and comments! :) **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette**


	41. Pregnancy

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor claim to own, _Avatar: The Last Airbender; _all rights are reserved for its original owners.**

_Pregnancy_

_1.) The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body_

**OoOoO**

Katara's eyes glazed over as she recalled what the doctor had just told her. She froze. A million thoughts buzzed through her head, as if each one was a bumblebee- bat taking residence within the hive that was her skull. She was in a state of bewilderment; she couldn't believe what she had just been told.

"Lady Katara?" the Water- Tribe doctor, Karia, asked her, a smile plastered to her tan face. Her long mocha hair, set into a loose braid fell across her shoulder, and it was as though Katara was thrown back into reality.

Katara released a breath she hadn't realized she been holding captive. She released the breath slowly through pursed lips. Shaking, Katara lifted her left hand to Karia, who took her palm and held it tightly, and placed her right hand, almost tentatively, atop her flat belly. It wouldn't be flat for very long.

"Are you sure?" Katara whispered, and the words sounded as though they were nothing but a fleeting breath; they were almost inaudible.

Karia smiled. "Yes, I am very sure, my Lady. You are pregnant."

She heard the words, and all the confusion and disbelief melted from the surface, leaving behind the joy and wonderment that had been buried beneath. Through a veil of happy tears painted across her eyes, Katara smiled, and let out a shaky laugh. Karia grinned at her, and squeezed her hand.

"I can't believe it," The Fire Lady whispered, once more staring in disbelief at her stomach, smooth and flat. "Wow…"

Karia spoke, amazement evident within her voice as well, "I do look forward to seeing the look on Lord Zuko's face when he becomes aware of this wonderful news."

Suddenly Katara's smile melted away, and she was once again lost in thought. Suddenly her lips tightened, fighting a smile, as light annoyance became apparent within the crevices of her face. "Oh La, that man will _never_ let me out of his sight will he? He worries like a woman!"

The two women engaged in a fit of laughter, half of which was a result of the sheer bliss of the journey of bringing a precious bundle of joy into the palace within the near future.

**OoOoO**

**Author's Notes: Hey guys! So since my updating has been SORELY lacking, I decided to give you all a special treat: this is the second time I have updated within the past couple of days! Yay! **

**I hope you all enjoyed this drabble! ****So, tell me your thoughts and opinions; I love reading what you all have to say!**

**Thanks, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	42. Pride

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR CLAIM TO OWN ANY PART OF AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR THE ORIGINAL OWNERS.******

_Pride_

_1.) a strong positive emotion of regard and affection_

Her hand pressed lightly against the bare flesh of his shoulder; he didn't turn around or jerk away, but his muscles tensed beneath her fingers.

He sighed, and relaxed. Her hand moved from his shoulder, gliding down his chest as she moved her form against his body, pressing herself to his back, nothing but the flimsy silk of her robes and his trousers separating them from each other. She rested her chin on his shoulder, and turned her head inwards, placing tiny kisses along the line of his neck.

"What's wrong?" She asked him in a voice just barely above a whisper, her nimble fingers tracing the muscular bare flesh of his arms, his chest, his back. He sighed again, and closed his eyes, arching his neck to the side, allowing his forehead to come to rest against hers. His fingers caressed her cheek softly.

"It's just… it's that I visited Father today." He told her, his voice void of any form of emotion.

It was Katara's turn to tense, and she almost pulled away, but Zuko's hand caught her by the waist, pulling her back onto their bed. He turned his body to face her, his golden eyes locking on her fierce, blue ones; the beginning of a protective veil, blocking him out of her soul, was forming across them. His hand caught hers, and he intertwined their fingers. She didn't try to pull away again, but she didn't return his reassuring squeeze.

Zuko stared at their tangled fingers, observing the contrast of their skin tones even in the limited light, which was complete darkness, save for the flickering of several candles scattered in various places around their room. The two of them were so different in every possible way, each other's polar opposite. There were so many people after the war who believed them to be completely wrong for each other because of this reason, because of their differences. But this, in fact, was what made their relationship work. Their differences made their love fiercer, more passionate.

"I wasn't going to tell you. I don't want to now. I just… Katara everyone in your family has accepted our engagement, no one that you love is objecting to us… they're actually supportive." He paused, not quite able to look his beloved in the face. "It's not that I thought Azula and Father would accept us… I just wanted… I don't know what I wanted. I guess I was hoping that at least for once I could make someone proud of me."

His shoulders dropped again, and he felt exhaustion seep into him, his skin acting as a sponge, soaking up every ounce of stress that he had blocked out over the past few days, weeks, and even years; it had been hovering above him patiently, like a blood- thirsty spider- bat. Katara waited a moment, and then she crawled over towards her fiancé, pulling his chin up, catching those beautiful molten that made her heart melt with her eyes. She allowed a small smile to grace her lips, her blue eyes twinkling in the candlelight, and she pulled his chin upwards, slowly bringing his lips to meet hers. It was a soft kiss that eventually escalated into a fierce and ferocious dance; lips pressed hungrily against the other, their breaths coming in quick pants, the echoes of their moans slicing through the silence of the night. Zuko pushed her backwards, until her back was laying flat against the bed, the soft silk of the rumpled scarlet and orange colored sheets grazing her skin softly, and then he was above her, flush with her chest. Before she lost her train of thought, she pulled away, allowing at least a mouthful of oxygen to be carried to her brain, giving her at least one coherent thought.

"_I'm _proud of you. I'm so, so proud of you. You've rebuilt a world in ruins, you've given people hope. You've given _me_ hope that I never thought I'd be able to have again, and I love you for it." She breathed.

She stared at him above her, watching as his eyes filled with something more than the mere lust that had occupied them before. Love and adoration filled his irises, with unmistakable clarity. A smile found its way to his face, and without a word he lowered his lips to hers once more, and the dance continued, with a gentler, more passionate tempo.

******Hey guys! Ok, so I wrote this in haste, and edited even faster, so there are bound to be PLENTY of mistakes. I needed an excuse to escape the stubborn, evil grip of my homework this weekened. Haha. ;) But I hope you enjoyed this drabble, because I had fun writing it. :) Drop me a review if you don't mind; tell me what you think! **

**Love you guys, **

**~Moonlit- Silhouette **


	43. Blessing

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NOR CLAIM TO OWN ANY PART OF AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED FOR THE ORIGINAL OWNERS.******

_Blessing_

1.) the formal act of approving

* * *

Zuko had never known this kind of terror in his life. Sure, being hit by fire so brutally by his own father when he was a child was scary, especially since it would leave a scar that covered half his face. Sure, letting Katara touch his scar beneath Ba Sing Se was terrifying; feeling her cool touch against the rough, swollen, most hated part of him, all the while hoping she wouldn't pull away in utter disgust. Sure, taking that bolt of lightning for that same water bender that was discharged from his crazy sister, slicing through his chest as easily as a knife, was terrifying.

But nothing, _nothing that_ he had experienced in his life was quite like the sickening feeling that twisted his gut today.

The day that he was going to ask Katara's father for her hand in marriage.

Just the thought of approaching the man was enough to cause him to pale, to want to run and hide and hope that he would never be found, because he was terrified to his very core of Hakoda, Chief of the Southern Water Tribe.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on Hakoda's study door, and once he heard the gruff 'Come in', he pushed through the threshold. Zuko felt his knees hitting each other, shaking with unbelievable intensity. Hakoda looked up from his desk, saw Zuko, and let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. Discarding the scrolls of parchment he was reading, the elder man of the Southern Water Tribe arched in his chair, stretching his limbs before returning his gaze to his daughter's suitor.

"Ah, Fire Lord Zuko, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Hakoda asked with a grin. However, unbeknownst to Zuko, the elder man knew under what conditions the leader of the Red Nation had decided to pay him a visit. It didn't exactly take a genius to figure out, after all. Katara and Zuko had been dating for one year, and were perfectly happy. Katara had already told her father that she loved Zuko with all her heart. Plus, the intensity of Zuko's shaking, the paleness of his face, and the tremor in his voice didn't exactly dissuade Hakoda from this theory.

Zuko was frozen at the door, his hands fisting, trying to calm himself. Hakoda raised an eyebrow at the younger man, fighting another smile, and motioned for him to take a seat in one of the chairs set before his desk.

Zuko complied, not quite right away however; his brain was still taking a while to process basic things.

"As I was saying," Hakoda continued, "to what do I owe the pleasure, Fire Lord?"

"Ac-actually… I came today as just Zuko. A personal trip. Fire Lord Zuko is unnecessary." Zuko managed, his voice shaking slightly.

"All right. Zuko, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Hakoda said for the third time.

Zuko took another deep breath, and a sense of calm overcame him. He didn't wait for his nervousness to overtake him again, he simply said what he'd come to his girlfriend's home to say. "As you know, Katara and I have been dating for a year now, and we're very happy. I love her so much, more than I ever thought possible. I understand that you might not think that I am the right one for her, but I do think I can make her happy. And, she would never be unloved. Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, I would like to ask you for your daughter's hand in marriage."

Hakoda's reaction was not unsurprised, nor outraged, as Zuko was expecting; the man simply sat in his chair, unmoving, a thoughtful expression on his face. Finally, he spoke, "I knew this day would come. I always imagined that she would end up with a Water Tribe warrior, though." He stopped talking, his ice blue eyes piercing Zuko's golden ones. "But, I have to say, I think I like you more than any of our current warriors. I do believe that you can make her happy Zuko; I've seen it. Her eyes light up when she sees you; it's impossible not to notice the love that you two share." He paused again, surveying Zuko, who was holding his breath, "It surprises me to say this, but I think that you might be the perfect match for her."

Zuko released a breath, "So… that's a yes?"

Hakoda shrugged, "It's really not my decision whether or not she marries you is it? But, yes, I do give you my blessing. But, Zuko, if you ever hurt my daughter, you better be prepared for yet another war on your hands." He said darkly.

Zuko gulped, and nodded, rising to his feet and hurrying out of the room, ignoring Hakoda's deep laughter that could probably be heard from the Fire Nation.

**Author's Notes: Hi again! I was looking through other drabbles today, and decided it was time for this! So, as always, I hope you enjoyed, and please leave your thoughts, questions, opinions, etc.!**

******Here's a question for you all, what would you like to see next in this drabble series? Something sappy, something sad? Leave your ideas, and maybe I'll use them! **

**Thanks guys! Hope everyone has a fantastic week! **

**~Moonlit- Silhoutte **


	44. Tea

******DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER**

_Tea: A hot drink made by infusing the dried, crushed leaves of the tea plant in boiling water._

Tea

Katara easily sipped from her teacup, filling her mouth with the flavorful brew, igniting her taste buds in refreshing sweetness. Her guarded blue eyes glanced furtively around the teahouse, a quaint little place in the Earth Kingdom- the Jasmine Dragon.

Her dark hood shielded her face from view as she studied the multitude of people who entered the shop, oblivious to the inquisitive gaze of the water- bender. She studied these people, read them like books, as though the ink- pressed words were stamped across their skin. It wasn't a difficult or daunting task- so many of these people were predictable.

But _he_ wasn't.

That was the main reason she came to the tea house so often. To watch him. It was as simple as that. It disturbed her that he intrigued her to this extent- he was the fire-bending enemy.

Katara had initially been revolted by her fascination with him. It made her sick to her stomach, made her insides churn. Eventually that revulsion faded to mere curiosity. She was simply curious about him, about his sudden change of heart.

His thought processes were foreign to her. Ever since her childhood she had been taught in black and white- there was a right and a wrong. But the more she studied him the more she realized that he couldn't afford to think like that. What _was _right in his situation? He was trapped by family commitment, an impending throne with a shadow that seemed to be cast across the oceans to touch its wispy fingers to even the Southern Water Tribe. And then there was her side, Aang's side, of the war- the right side. And even though it was supposedly to better the world, to purify it- there was still killing, casualties, and guilt. It was so difficult to imagine being in his situation. And she pitied him. Somewhat.

Katara raised the cup to her lips once more, but found that the small basin was empty. However, tea leaves, swirled together in a mesh of abstract shapes, remained attached to the bottom, like algae on rocks in the ocean. She stared at the misshapen gunk, finding pictures within the web of supposed nothingness.

Her hands went rigid around the cup. She had to be wrong. Or at least misinterpreting the picture.

At the bottom of the cup, nestled into the web of sodden tea leaves, lay a tiny, slimy, green flame.

With a quick look towards the other side of the tea shop- where the object of her thoughts was tending to another customer, Katara took a deep breath. _She had to be wrong. _

She rose from the table, depositing several coins in payment for her beverage, and slipped from the building, trying to forget the boy in the tea shop. Tried to forget the flame in her cup, and apparently her future. And she attempted to forget the connection she was sure the two shared.

**Yep. Simple and an overused idea but I couldn't resist. I hope you enjoyed :) **

******If you are interested in keeping up with me, check out my profile. I will periodically update it, telling you guys what is coming up in the near future. **

**Have a great weekend! **


	45. Mischievous

_Mischievous_

_1.) Causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way_

* * *

The morning was a beautiful mosaic of colors and pictures. The sun's early hour rays stretched across the sky, pink and orange merging together; swirling pictorials softly caressing one another, bending into one another, as if they were lovers.

Zuko's molten eyes stared expectantly out into the open water, the vast expanse shimmering with the light the sun cast down upon it.

A hand pressed sternly against his shoulder, age having not affected the owner's strength and passion. The Fire Lord need not turn around in order to know that the hand belonged to none other than his uncle, a man whose eyes still sparkled with undeniable joy of the life he has been given, despite the obstacles he has had to overcome. That's the thing with Iroh- despite everything that was meant to break him into microscopic pieces, despite the acts and punishments that were designed by Agni to break his spirit- nothing ever succeeded. He was the person Zuko admired, who he modeled his rule after.

A smile graced Zuko's lips lightly, and he spoke, "Good morning Uncle. Beautiful day isn't it?"

Iroh removed his hand from his nephew's shoulder and walked with smooth strides to stand beside the boy, still only of the age of nineteen. So young, and yet so wise. The old man guessed that was what happened when you faced acts and evils far beyond your years. "Quite beautiful indeed," was his answer to Zuko's question, "Katara is supposed to be here any moment now is that right?"

Zuko nodded absently, studying the water curiously, observing a ship adorned with Southern Water Tribe symbols and colors make its sudden appearance across the horizon and move towards the Fire Nation dock in steady strides, slicing through the water easily, gracefully.

Katara had sent a letter to the Fire Nation royal a few months back, asking whether he would mind if she visited him in the near future. She did not elaborate as to why she sent her letter, what had affected her to the point she required a break from her duties as Water Tribe Ambassador. But, as Zuko always had, he asked no questions and immediately sent her his approval of her request. After the war, the Gaang had grown apart, only reuniting occasionally for business matters, and even then they did not ever spend quality time together. Frankly, the thought of a piece of Zuko's past reentering his life had given him a level of happiness that was foreign to him. He had eagerly awaited her arrival for many weeks and today was the day he would be able to spend time with one of his friends. He had so few of them that it would be a nice, unusual experience.

Iroh studied his nephew silently, expertly observing the slight rise of his lips into the shape of a small smile, and the awakening of a light in his golden eyes that Iroh had not seen in such a long time. The old man knew and understood the amount of energy that had been drained slowly and steadily from the younger man. The arrival of the Water Tribe girl would do the Fire Lord some good.

Iroh glanced out towards the ocean himself and watched the ship inch ever closer to the dock, and a mischievous glint found its way to his eyes, a small smile upturning his own lips. He was going to have some of his own fun during Katara's visit. One way or another, those two benders would have to declare the feelings they had been burying deep inside themselves for so long, and Iroh would make sure of it.


End file.
